The UK has halved its reliance on fossil fuels for electricity and doubled renewables in the last decade, with last year the cleanest ever.
Carbon dioxide emissions from electricity have dropped by more than two-thirds, from 419g per kWhr in 2014 to 124g in 2024.
This reflects a shift away from polluting fuels, which generated just 29% of the UK’s power last year, says a report from Carbon Brief.
Coal’s phaseout reached a milestone with the closure of the UK’s last coal power station in Ratcliffe-on-Soar, while gas generation also declined.
Renewables like wind, solar and biomass set a record, generating 45% of electricity, while clean energy sources including nuclear accounted for 58% of total power.
Wind narrowly trailed gas as the biggest single source of electricity, generating 26% of power compared to 28% for gas.
However, with new wind projects coming online and 2024’s below-average wind speeds considered, analysts predict wind will overtake gas in 2025.
The cleaner grid has boosted the carbon savings of green technologies.
Carbon Brief’s analysis includes data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the National Energy System Operator, covering all UK power generation.
