Renewable energy from wind, solar and hydropower will account for more of the UK’s electricity output this year than fossil fuels for the first time, according to think-tank Ember.
The green trio will account for about 37 per cent of the electricity generated this year, overtaking 35 per cent from fossil fuels, according to the study that includes production data and forecasts for the remainder of the year. Wind power may even overtake gas as the largest single source of generation — though the final result for the year is too close to call. The figures mark a major shift towards a lower carbon electricity system from a decade ago, when gas and coal accounted for almost 60 per cent of the country’s generation.
Frankie Mayo, senior climate analyst at Ember, said the figures were a “testament to how much progress the UK has made” following the closure of coal-fired power plants and the growth of wind turbines and solar panels. “The renewables future is here,” he added.
