This year the government announced its plans to disband a body designed to protect the future of coal power in the UK. The UK Coal Forum, a government and industry body which has been around for 11 years, will start to wrap up as the energy minister feels it no longer serves a purpose.
This is partly due to the rapid decline in number of mines—there are under 10 currently still active, compared with over 1,000 half a century ago—and partly due to pollution laws and carbon taxes. Coal is a dirty fuel, producing a lot of pollution.
So with the demise of the coal industry, is it time for businesses to start looking elsewhere for energy?
Our answer is that you should always be looking to multiple sources for your energy provision, in order to find the best deal at the best price for your business needs.
However the reality is that coal power is on the way out, and within the next 10 years all businesses will be powered by other fuel sources.
Many businesses already have to comply with the Climate Change Levy, so looking to a renewable alternative to coal could be cost-effective and prove more efficient in the longer term.