UK renewables reach record share in electricity generation
According to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the latest data released at the end of June reveals that renewable energy achieved a record-breaking share of 47.8% of total power generation.
During the same quarter in 2010, renewables accounted for only 5.8% of electricity generation. This shows the remarkable progress that has been made since 2010.
The new record represents a 1% increase compared to the previous record set in Q1 2020 and an impressive 2.4% rise compared to the same period last year.
Falling electricity demand
Electricity demand was also down, with the cost of living crisis pushing people to monitor their consumption. 
DESNZ said: “In the first quarter of 2023 total primary energy production was 27.3 million tonnes of oil equivalent, 8% lower than in the first quarter of 2022. Production of all fuels fell compared to the same quarter in 2022 with the exception of offshore wind.”
“Coal output in the first quarter of 2023 fell by 57% and was at a record 21st-century low quarterly level, whilst oil and gas production levels which have increased since maintenance in Summer 2021 both fell and are down by 34% and 7.5% respectively on pre-pandemic (2019) levels,”
The report shows that the UK has made significant progress in the implementation of renewable energy, with offshore and solar photovoltaic (PV) installations witnessing an approximate increase of 1GW each over the past year.
Renewable generation was so high at the beginning of July that electricity prices turned negative. Energy company Octopus reported that their ‘Agile Octopus’ smart tariff hit a new record on July 2, with customers paid up to 20p for every kWh of electricity used.
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