Statistics released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in its latest Energy Trends report show that 35.5% of the UK’s electricity was generated by renewables in the second quarter of the year, up 3.5% from the same period last year. The statistics show that as wind leads the way, coal dropped to almost nothing
The report notes that “wind generation was the driving factor” as onshore wind generation increased by 13% while “the increase was even more dramatic for offshore wind” which was 25% higher than the same quarter in 2018. Wind generated 44% of renewable electricity in Q2 2019.
The document also states that this was the first quarter since the 19th century in which coal fell below 1% of total generation, providing just 0.6% of the UK’s electricity between April and June.
The report highlights, in particular, that “coal’s share of supply fell to a record low of 0.2% in May after just five days of coal-fired generation on the grid during the month and the UK’s longest period without coal generation since the 1880s, at 18 days and six hours”.
RenewableUK director of strategic communications Luke Clark said, “The latest official statistics show wind is leading the way in cleaning up the UK power system, with coal generation dropping to historic lows.
“This month’s landmark steps forward for offshore wind, with a record amount of new capacity secured at record low prices and a further round of development announced, means that we’ll see renewables reaching ever higher levels in the next 10 years.
“Now is the time to push all of our renewable energy sources – including onshore wind and innovative tidal and floating offshore wind – so that we reach net zero emissions as quickly as possible.”
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