In the first quarter of this year, thanks to new offshore windfarms, renewable sources outproduced fossil fuels in the UK’s electricity mix.

It’s bright, shiny news, and a kick in the teeth to the old economy vs. ecology saw. (And when I say “old,” it’s not that old. Only two years ago conference speakers could still commonly be heard laughing that renewables were forever doomed to be novelty meat in the energy kitchen.)  

Kwasi Kwarteng, the minister for energy and clean growth, said the renewables record is “yet another milestone on our path towards ending our contribution to climate change altogether by 2050”. He said: “Already, we’ve cut emissions by 40% while growing the economy by two thirds since 1990. Now, with more offshore wind projects on the way at record low prices we plan to go even further and faster in the years to come.”

This is only possible due to the cost of wind and solar plunging beneath that of oil and coal, but let’s face it — it’s a headline on its way from novelty to commonplace, and that’s good news for everybody but the chimbly sweeps.