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The latest statistics from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) have revealed that wind power has overtaken gas as the largest single source of electricity for the first time.
In 2024, wind turbines supplied 30% of the UK’s electricity despite a year of unusually low wind speeds. December, the windiest month of 2024, saw 38.9% of electricity come from wind, with the strongest day for wind power (18 December) seeing a record 22.523GW of generation or 68.3% of supply. Gas trailed at 26.3% of supply across the year, with solar power supplying a total of 5%, nuclear making up 14%, biomass contributing 6.8%, imports of all types contributing 14.1%, and hydropower and energy storage making up 2% and 1% of usage respectively.
Last year marked a record-breaking green year for UK electricity supply, with the average zero carbon mix of electricity sitting at 51% across the year. Four consecutive quarters (Q4 2023 – Q3 2024) saw renewables supplying over half of the nation’s electricity, a first for the UK.
Carbon intensity of emissions fell to 125 grams CO2/kWh on average, a record low, with the lowest carbon intensity day, 15 April, seeing average carbon intensity of just 19 grams CO2/kWh. Part of this record-breaking greenness can be attributed to the closure of the UK’s final coal-fired power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, which ceased operations on 30 September 2024. Last year, coal supplied a mere 0.6% of the UK’s electricity.
While the falling carbon intensity of UK electricity is undoubtedly positive, a recent Carbon Brief analysis previously covered by Current± notes that the average 125g CO2/kWh across 2024 still falls significantly short of the 50g of CO2 per kWh that is expected under the NESO’s Clean Power 2030 plan.
The dominance of wind power is only set to grow in 2025, with wind speeds likely to return to more normal levels than those seen in the past two years, and several major wind developments set to come online this year, including the 1.2GW Dogger Bank A development in the North Sea, as well as Scottish developments Moray West (0.9GW) and Neart na Goithe (0.5GW).
