The UK's reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation took an unexpected turn last year, with the share of power from coal, gas, and oil ticking upward for the first time in four years. This reversal comes as a notable shift after years of steady progress toward renewables. The move carries implications beyond just energy policy—it affects production costs across industries heavily dependent on stable power supplies, something worth watching if you're thinking about infrastructure-heavy sectors like blockchain networks and mining operations. Energy prices and grid composition increasingly matter for the economics of different regions' tech hubs.