The start of the year had a very strong showing for UK renewables. We had recently reported that the first quarter saw nearly half of the UK’s energy needs covered by renewable sources, but the trend did not stop there.
A recent report has shown the second quarter of the year has seen yet another strong showing for renewables, as they have increased 32% year-on-year, with biomass, wind, and solar sources setting new records for energy generated during this period.
It had also been suggested that at one-point, renewable electricity sources were providing almost 70% of Britain’s electricity needs, up from the 49% in the first quarter. With recent announcements for new offshore and onshore sites, particularly for wind, and recent announcements around a larger scale test for hydrogen for heating, we can only expect these figures to increase.
Not only have records been set for the energy produced, but also for our steps towards net zero too. The carbon intensity of fuels used had also dropped to their lowest on record, averaging at 153g/kWh over the quarter – a strong sign for what may be possible over the coming years as we aim to reduce our climate impact.
Similar reports were also prevalent on the pricing front, as wholesale power prices would see a 42% drop from the same quarter last year, with demand dropping during the lockdown period. Whilst a small part of the change could be in response to the pandemic, it’s difficult to discredit the leaps forward taken by renewable energy in recent years.
The current trends reported from UK renewables are a good sign for what can be expected in the future for our power system, as cheaper and more efficient renewable solutions become more readily available, and a lower demand on the market help energy prices across the country. Whilst we may see a rubber banding effect as the country begins to return to an element of normality, these flexible and clean technologies will certainly only grow and continue to set records.
If you would like to be part of the record setting trends, you can explore our energy efficiency options for both home and business, or alternatively you can get in contact with one of experts today to have them guide you through the best options available to you.
