‘Postcard from the future’: Virus and solar cause record fall in CO2

(EurActiv, 30 Apr 2020) Business interruption during the coronavirus crisis has caused a 14% fall in demand for electricity in Europe over the past month. Combined with record solar output, this has caused a 39% drop in related CO2 emissions, according to a new analysis.

The sudden drop in emissions was mostly due to interruptions at coal and gas power plants, which were switched off during the crisis to match falling demand for electricity, according to a fresh analysis by Ember, a climate think tank.

The most dramatic reductions in coal-fired electricity were registered in Germany, where lignite generation fell by 55% and hard coal by 65% over the last 30 days.

Combined with record levels of renewables – in particular solar power – this resulted in an impressive 39% drop in CO2 emissions from the electricity sector across the European Union and the UK, said Jones, who published his research on Carbon Brief.

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EurActiv, 30 Apr 2020: ‘Postcard from the future’: Virus and solar cause record fall in CO2