The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has released figures that confirm renewable energy generated a record annual percentage of the UK’s electricity in 2023.
The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), published annually, shows that the share of generation from low carbon sources rose to a record 60.3% in 2023 as stable renewable energy output combined with lower overall generation.
Renewable technologies provided 46.4% of the UK’s electricity last year, up from 41.5% in 2022. Contributing 60% of all renewable energy energy last year, wind remains the UK’s biggest source of clean power.
In 2023, wind generated 28.1% of electricity in 2023 (82.3TWh), up from the previous record of 24.7% (80.3TWh) in 2022. Within that, offshore wind produced 17% of the UK’s electricity (49.7TWh) while onshore wind provided 11.2%.
The Labour government has been on a major push for wind generation, aiming to install 60GW of capacity by 2030. The impact of initiatives, including the removal of the de facto ban on onshore wind, will be seen in next year’s DUKES. A recent market research article explores how the sector is gearing up for expansion.
DESNZ’s report states that the increase in renewable generation capacity “more than offset less favourable weather conditions”. Still, capacity only increased by 2.8GW (5.2%), lower than in 2022 and the years prior to 2019.
Wind accounted for half of the new capacity installed in 2023 (0.8GW offshore and 0.6GW onshore) with the remainder being mostly accounted for by solar PV (1.3 GW) and a small addition from energy from waste (less than 0.1 GW). Fossil fuels hit a record annual low, contributing 36.7% of electricity, mostly from gas.
Dan McGrail, chief executive of RenewableUK, said that the figures show renewables are the “backbone” of the electricity system in the UK, adding that “the less gas we use, the more protection billpayers have against volatile gas prices, so every clean energy project takes us a step closer to energy independence and real security”.
The statistics have been released as the industry prepares for massive expansion, following the revelation that the budget for the government’s auction round 6 (AR6) has been set at £1.5 billion, the largest ever amount.
McGrail said: “The industry is working closely with the new government to ensure we unlock billions of pounds of private sector investment in renewables by maximising each annual auction for new projects to go ahead, creating tens of thousands of high-quality jobs and building up new supply chains all over the country.”
