25 Latest Renewable Energy Statistics For The UK (2024)

The UK hopes to be a carbon-neutral country by 2050, currently working towards increasing its use of renewable energy. So what do the UK renewable energy statistics show?

UK Renewable Energy Statistics & Facts

1. The renewable share of electricity generation in the UK stood at 38.6% in the second quarter of 2022. (UK Government)
2. At the end of Q2 2022, 11.2% of renewable energy was offshore wind, 10.3% bioenergy, 9.4% onshore wind, 6.4% solar energy and 1.2% hydro energy. (UK Government)
3. Renewable energy generation capacity during the first half of 2022 was six times greater than during the same period in 2010. (UK Government)
4. At the end of 1991, only 2% of all electric generation in the UK came from renewable sources. (National Grid)
5. The highest renewable generation occurred on 17 August 2019, when 85.1% of all electricity production was from zero-carbon sources. (National Grid)
6. 2020 was the first year in the UK when electricity came predominantly from renewable energy (43%). (National Grid)
7. Total renewable energy capacity grew by 6.5% between the end of Q2 in 2021 and Q2 in 2022. (UK Government)
8. Renewable electricity generation grew by 12% to 30.5 TWh in Q2 2022. (UK Government)
9. The increase was driven by wind energy generation, which increased by 42% during that period. (UK Government)
10. Energy from bioenergy was down by 16% in Q2 2022 due to planned maintenance at power plants. (UK Government)
11. In 2021, renewable generation in England did decrease by 7.2%, 11.1% in Northern Ireland, 14% in Scotland and 14.1% in Wales. (ONS)
12. However, the overall capacity increased in England by 3.7%, 4.4% in Northern Ireland, 3.6% in Scotland and 2.8% in Wales from 2020 to 2021. (ONS)
13. It took 47 years (from 1970 to 2017) to create the first half trillion kilowatt hours of renewable energy. (National Grid)
14. William George Armstrong developed the world’s first hydroelectric power scheme at Cragside in Northumberland in 1878. (Association for Industrial Archaeology)

The UK Renewable Energy Market & Cost

15. Onshore and offshore wind and solar power command approximately £40 per megawatt hour, while gas-fired power generation costs about £140 per megawatt hour. (The Guardian)
16. According to the official UK Government figures, electricity from wind and solar is actually 30-50% cheaper than thought. (UK Government)
17. The UK’s low carbon and renewable energy economy (LCREE) turnover stood at £41.2 billion in 2020. (ONS)
18. Turnover was the highest in England (£32.6 billion), followed by Scotland (£5.5 billion), Wales (£2.2 billion), and Northern Ireland (£0.9 billion). (ONS)
19. The renewable energy market is predicted to have a compound annual growth rate of 10% from 2022 to 2027. (Mordor Intelligence)
20. The UK ranked third in EY’s global ranking of the best places to invest in renewable energy. (EY)

Renewable Energy Attitudes

21. 38% of Brits ’support’ and 41% ‘strongly support’ using renewable energy sources in 2021. (Statista)
22. Only around 1% of people ‘strongly oppose’ the use of renewable energy sources in 2021. (Statista)
23. Solar power was the UK’s most strongly supported renewable energy source, with 45% supporting solar power developments. (Statista)
24. Biomass was ‘strongly opposed’ as renewable energy development focus by 4% of Brits in 2021. (Statista)
25. 73% of Brits ‘strongly’ or ‘slightly agree’ that renewable energy industries and developments bring economic benefits to the UK. (Statista)