UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024. In the last decade the UK has halved its reliance on fossil fuels for electricity and doubled the use of renewables.
Carbon dioxide emissions from electricity have dropped by more than two-thirds, from 419g per kWhr in 2014 to 124g in 2024.
A report by Carbon Brief, which includes data from the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero, and the National Energy System Operator, covering all UK power generation, says that this reflects a shift away from polluting fuels, which generated just 29% of the UK's power last year.
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.
