I thought Weather in the SE this Summer

First day of autumn today, but can we tell the difference ? 

Yes the SE has had very poor weather throughout the extended summer so far (May to September). The first half of June was quite decent, and there was the week of hot weather in the middle of July, but the rest has been an endurance event. I don't think I can recall a summer where I have had to have the lights on all day so many times. August has (again) been a letdown, very dull and virtually no very warm weather, the dullness extending across much of the UK. The blocking high sat over the UK in the last week of the month advecting North Sea clag over most of the country was the final poke in the eye from this so called summer. On top of the weather related allotment failures and the constant COVID doom and gloom, this is one year I will be very glad to see the back of. 

While we're paying huge amounts for 'green' electricity (see elsewhere), how can such huge price increases apply to coal..;0)?

This isn't true:

https://theswitch.co.uk/blog/energy/cheapest-green-supplier

If you are paying "huge amount", either switch to a more competitive supplier, or analyse at your energy consumption.