Statistics released in the government’s latest Energy Trends report showed that wind generated a record 28.7% of the UK’s electricity needs in 2023.
This represented a year-on-year 4% increase, with wind remaining the UK’s biggest clean power source, generating over 60% of the nation’s renewable electricity in 2023.
The report showed that offshore wind generated 17.3% of the UK’s electricity in 2023 compared to 13.8% in 2022, and onshore wind provided 11.4% compared to 10.8% in 2022, setting new annual percentage records in both technologies.
It’s worth noting that renewable sources of energy generated 47.3% of the UK’s electricity in 2023, a new record for the third consecutive year. This is an increase from 41.5% in 2022. On the other hand, fossil fuels generated only 36.3% of the country’s electricity, which is a record low. In 2022, fossil fuels contributed 40.8%.
Most of the electricity produced from fossil fuels came from gas, which accounted for 34.3% in 2023.
Energy consumption and production reduced in 2023
In 2023, the consumption of energy decreased, primarily due to a decline in household consumption of both gas and electricity. Overall, household consumption was lower than it has been in the last fifty years.
Although there was a 3% increase in demand for transport compared to the previous year, it still remained below pre-pandemic levels. Consumption by industrial users also dropped compared to the previous year, and like household consumption, it sat at its lowest level in over fifty years.
Read more: Current+