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The United Kingdom Proves It Doesn't Need To Rely On Coal Power

The United Kingdom went a full day without using coal power, a big step in its attempt to phase it out entirely.

The United Kingdom Proves It Doesn't Need To Rely On Coal Power

By: Grant Suneson

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For the first time in more than a century, the U.K. just went an entire day without using coal power.

The U.K. National Grid announced it didn't need to burn any coal Friday. Sure, it's just one day, but it marks a big step forward in the U.K.'s push to reduce emissions.

The U.K. has leaned on coal for a lot of its energy, especially during the Industrial Revolution. It opened its first coal power station in 1882.

The U.K. wants to phase out coal completely by 2025, and it's well on its way. In 2016, coal provided just 9 percent of its power, compared to 23 percent in 2015 and as much as 70 percent in the 1980s.

Coal is losing its place to wind and solar energy in the U.K. — not only because they're environmentally friendly, but also because they're safer and renewable.

But those technologies still have a long way to go. Solar and wind accounted for just under 16 percent of Friday's average energy generation in the U.K. Gas power made up about 50 percent of the average energy generated.