Renewables hit new record generation share

The share of UK electricity generated from renewable sources hit new record highs in the first quarter of this year while gas demand fell despite cool temperatures, new government statistics show.

The amount of power imported over interconnectors also hit record highs during the start of the year, according to the latest quarterly edition of Energy Trends, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The contribution of renewable energy to overall generation climbed to 47.8%. This is 1% higher than the previous record in the first quarter of 2020 and a 2.4% increase on the same three-month period in 2022.

The record share was achieved despite a 2.4% drop in renewable power generated compared to the equivalent period in 2022 as total generation fell by 7.4%.

Overall supply and demand for electricity both decreased by 4.5%. The mismatch between the figures for falling supply and generation was accounted for by a 44% increase in imports over interconnectors.

Total imports rose to a record 9TWh, including 2.3 TWh received from Norway across the North Sea Interconnector. Meanwhile exports of electricity were up by 19%.

The 2.4% decrease in renewable output reflects lower hydro and solar generation due to less favourable weather conditions and ongoing outages leading to a 12% decrease in bioenergy generation.

However generation from wind farms increased by 3.1% year on year as increased capacity compensated for lower average wind speeds.

Nuclear generation fell to 9.8TWh, a quarterly record low, and 22% lower than during the same period in the previous year.

This fall reflected Hunterston B’s closure in January 2022 and the beginning of decommissioning at Hinkley Point B in August 2022, while the UK’s five remaining power stations all experienced outages during the first quarter of this year.

Despite these decreases, the lower overall level of generation meant that low carbon sources generated 60.3% of the total in Q1, a slight increase compared to the previous year.

The statistics also show that overall gas demand fell by 6.1% in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, despite colder temperatures.

Energy Trends said that lower gas consumption by households, industry and other final users is likely to have been driven by higher prices.

Gas used for generation also fell, due to reduced electricity demand and strong output from renewable sources.

However the figures show that gas exports remained substantial and were up 41% compared to the first quarter of 2022 as the UK’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals continued to facilitate Europe’s wider move to cut its dependence on Russia.

US production made up nearly 70% of total LNG imports in the first quarter of the year, while those from Qatar fell by more than half.

Generation from fossil fuels fell substantially, down 10% to 27.8TWh, the second lowest figure recorded and equal to a share of 35.5%.

Electricity generated by gas decreased by 6.2% compared to Q1 2022, while the share accounted for by coal-fired plants more than halved to 1.4% to just 1.1TWh.