Scotland has marked the end of its coal-powered era by demolishing the massive chimney at its last remaining coal plant at Longannet in Fife. The chimney, Scotland’s largest freestanding structure, dominated the skyline for more than half a century before it was destroyed on Thursday, December 9 morning with 700kg of explosives.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, who pressed the ignition button on the controlled implosion, described the demolition as “a symbolic reminder that we have ended coal-fired power generation in Scotland, as we work in a fair and just way towards becoming a net zero nation by 2045”.
Sturgeon said Scotland plans to generate half of its overall energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030 by investing in hydrogen, renewables and energy storage to help tackle the climate crisis “in a way that leaves no one behind.” Over the next decade, she said growth in these sectors would be “transformative for Scotland, delivering further good, green jobs, strengthened energy security, and benefits for local communities”.
