Whilst 2020 is a year many of us may not remember fondly, there was a positive first in 2020 for the UK's energy generation. For the first time, in 2020, renewable energy provided more of the UK's energy than fossil fuel generation. 42.9% of the UK's electricity last year came from renewable sources, with fossil fuels generating 38.5%.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has said that this is a record low for fossil fuels. Back in 2010, 75.4% of the UK's electricity generation came from fossil fuel sources.
Wind generation provided more than half of the UK's renewable power in 2020, generating 24.2%. Most of the increase in renewable generation stemmed from offshore wind, as a result of both high wind speeds and newly installed capacity.
Melanie Onn, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said: "Today's record-breaking figures, set despite the pandemic, show that renewables are keeping this country reliably powered up during the most challenging period any of us have faced for many decades. Another key set of figures published today shows that the UK's offshore wind industry now supports over 26,000 jobs, mainly in coastal areas which need new opportunities. This will rise to over 69,000 over the next five years as our domestic supply chain grows rapidly."
The report also showed that total energy consumption for 2020 was also 13% lower overall compared to 2019, as COVID-19 restrictions reduced the demand for much of industry and commercial services.
