The DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) has recently released statistics regarding energy consumption and generation in the UK. Key points were;
– Electricity generated from renewable sources in the UK in 2012 increased by 19% on a year earlier and accounted for 11.3% of total UK electricity generation, up from 9.4% in 2011. Total renewables, as measured by the 2009 EU Renewables Directive accounted for 4.1% of energy consumption in 2012, up from 3.8% in 2011.
– With high gas prices, the commercial attractiveness of gas for electricity generation weakened further in 2012, with generation switching to coal as a result. Gas’s share of electricity fell by 12% while coal increased by 9%. Meanwhile, nuclear’s share of electricity generation was unchanged, despite a slight increase in generation. Gas accounted for 28% of electricity supplied in 2012, with coal accounting for 39% and nuclear 19%.
– Offshore wind generation increased by 46% with a load factor of 33.7% (greater than the gas load factor of 30.4%).
– Installed electrical generating capacity of renewable sources rose by 27% in 2012, mainly as a result of a 27% increase in onshore wind capacity, 63% increase in offshore wind capacity and solar photovoltaic capacity increasing by 71% due to the high uptake of Feed in Tariffs.
– The domestic sector was the largest electricity consumer in 2012 (114.7TWh), while the industrial sector consumed 97.8 TWh and the service sector 101.0 TWh. Industrial consumption decreased by 4.4%, while domestic consumption rose by 2.8%.
– Total renewables, as measured by the 2009 EU Renewables Directive, accounted for 4.1% of energy consumption in 2012 up from 3.8% in 2011.
