Britain goes one week without coal power for first time since 1882

Britain has had its longest coal-free period since it opened the world's first coal plant in the 1880s.

Climate experts say the UK should cut greenhouse gases to zero by 2050 to end its contribution to global warming within 30 years. Source: AAP

Britain has now gone seven days without burning coal for the first time since the industrial revolution of the 1880s. 

Home to the world's first coal-fuelled power plant, Britain has been burning coal for power consistently since 1882.

Now, in an ongoing effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent, Britain is aiming to abandon coal-fired power altogether by 2025.

The National Grid, Britain's power grid operator, confirmed the milestone via Twitter this week.

"The National Grid Electricity Service Provider confirms the first-ever week of coal-free operation of Great Britain's electricity system," it wrote.

"The last coal generator came off the system at 1.24pm on Wednesday 1st May, meaning we reached a week with no coal at 1.24pm today."

Climate experts say the UK should cut greenhouse gases to zero by 2050 to end its contribution to global warming within 30 years. Source: AAP

National Grid director Fintan Slye said he believed even longer records would soon be set.

"As more and more renewables come onto our energy system, coal-free runs like this are going to be a regular occurrence," Mr Slye said.

"We believe that by 2025 we will be able to fully operate Great Britain’s electricity system with zero carbon."

It was not the Grid's first attempt of late to go a prolonged period without burning coal.

Just last month, the National Grid said it went 90 hours without burning coal over the Easter long weekend.

Two years before that, the power provider had its first full day without using coal since the 19th century.

Last week, Britain's Committee on Climate Change (CCC) called for a total phase-out of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK by 2050. 

In its report 'Net Zero: the UK's contribution to stopping global warming', the CCC urged the UK government to reassess its long-term emission targets to meet the commitment made at the Paris Agreement.

"It is achievable with known technologies, alongside improvements in people’s lives, and within the expected economic cost that Parliament accepted when it legislated the existing 2050 target for an 80 per cent reduction from 1990," the report read.

"However, this is only possible if clear, stable and well-designed policies to reduce emissions further are introduced across the economy without delay. Current policy is insufficient for even the existing targets."