I imagine somebody out there is saying the UK is due an ‘artic winter’. If we do get one, then it could get rather interesting in the energy markets this winter.

Recently released statistics from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show that, in the second quarter of 2016, coal generated just 5.8% of the electricity used in the UK. This compares with 20.3% in 2015. There were even a few days this summer when no electricity was generated from coal. Virtually all of the difference was taken up by gas fuelled electricity generation.

The percentage of electricity from coal should increase as we enter winter, but it will be interesting to see where the balance of supply turns out.  With Centrica’s Rough gas storage facility, which represents nearly 80% of the UK storage capacity, largely out of action this winter, gas prices could be quite ‘jumpy’, leading to similarly ‘jumpy’ electricity prices.