UK renewables out-generated fossil fuels for first time in 2020

Renewable energy sources across the United Kingdom generated more electricity in 2020 than fossil fuels, a first for the country amidst a year which saw an unprecedented drop in energy demand due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) last week published its annual energy bible, the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), which details information on the UK’s energy production, trade, and consumption.

Demand for energy across the UK in 2020 was down so dramatically that it resembled levels not seen since the 1950s.

The drop in energy demand was most keenly felt in the transport sector, unsurprisingly, considering the movement restrictions enacted across the country due to Covid-19.

Most importantly, though, were the electricity generation levels during 2020, which fell 3.6% compared to 2019 – again, as a result of the UK’s Covid-19 restrictions.

4 August 2021

IEEFA