Energy production and consumption fell markedly in 2011, Decc estimates

UK energy production and consumption fell markedly last year compared to 2010 according to government estimates released today.

Primary energy production fell by 14 per cent, although low carbon energy production grew. Nuclear output was up 11 per cent, although that was against a low baseline, given the long unplanned outage of Sizewell B in 2010. Likewise wind output from major power producers was up by 59 per cent, although 2010 was one of the least windy in a decade. Likewise, hydro in Scotland was up 70 per cent after relatively stable rainfall in northern Scotland in 2011 compared to a dry 2010.

The department of energy and climate change (Decc) only had complete estimates for major power producers for 2011. Of their output, gas generation made up 41 per cent, coal 32 per cent and nuclear 20 per cent. Wind made up 4 per cent and of generation and hydro made up 1.5 per cent.

Primary energy consumption was down 7 per cent. Even adjusted to take into account the second warmest year on record, consumption fell 2 per cent.