The UK has witnessed a significant decrease in electricity generation from fossil fuels, recording a 22% year-on-year decline in 2023. This marks the lowest level since 1957, according to a detailed analysis by Carbon Brief.
The total electricity produced from fossil fuels in 2023 amounted to 104 terawatt hours (TWh), a substantial drop from the peak of 199TWh in 2008. This reduction is primarily attributed to a dramatic increase in renewable energy output and a decrease in overall electricity demand.
In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for just 33% of the UK’s electricity supply, the lowest proportion in history. Among these, gas contributed 31%, coal slightly over 1%, and oil marginally below 1%. On the other hand, low-carbon sources, including renewables and nuclear, made up 56% of the total electricity, with renewables alone contributing 43%.
The UK’s electricity generation in 2023 also achieved the lowest carbon intensity to date, averaging 162g of CO2 per kilowatt hour (gCO2/kWh). However, this remains distant from the Government’s ambitious target of 95% low-carbon electricity by 2030 and a fully decarbonised grid by 2035.
The sharp decline in fossil fuel generation can be traced back to a gradual decoupling of electricity demand from economic growth since the early 2000s. Demand has fallen significantly from 396TWh in 2008 to 313TWh in 2023. This reduction, along with the six-fold increase in renewable electricity output from 2008 to 2023, has squeezed fossil fuel generation from two ends.
Despite the growth in renewable energy, challenges remain. For example, bioenergy output has seen a reduction in the past two years, and solar power generation has only increased modestly despite a surge in capacity. Thankfully, coal, once a mainstay of the UK’s electricity system, has nearly vanished, and gas generation has dropped to levels not seen since the mid-1990s.
Additionally, the UK’s shift from being a net electricity exporter in 2022 to a net importer in 2023, combined with steady renewable output and declining demand, has further reduced the need for fossil fuels. The country now boasts 8.4 gigawatts (GW) of interconnector capacity, linking its electricity system with neighboring countries.
While the UK has hopes of increasing the amount of generation produced at home, through expanded wind capacity and new nuclear power plants, the country is also increasingly investing in new interconnectors. The new Viking Link connector with Denmark, for instance, has the potential to deliver up to 1.4 GW of clean electricity, enough to power 2.5 million homes.