Last month, for the first time solar panels generated more electricity in the UK than coal. Coal was once the mainstay of Britain’s power system but the rapid rise of solar panels has seen its use plummet, leading to a series of milestones in recent weeks. Solar surpassed coal over a whole day for the first time on 9 April, while the electricity produced by coal fell to zero several times in early May, thought to be the first time this had happened since the late 19th century.