Beatrice Lang
The UK's electricity supply is produced using a variety of fuel sources, including coal, gas, nuclear power, and renewables. Historically, coal played a significant role in electricity production, but its use has been declining due to environmental concerns and the rise of alternative energy sources. In recent years, the UK has seen a shift towards natural gas imports, while also exploring renewable energy options such as wind power, solar, and hydroelectric sources. The UK's energy landscape is dynamic, with a mix of traditional and modern energy sources, and a growing focus on sustainability and renewable alternatives.
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What You'll Learn
Electricity sources: coal, gas, nuclear, renewable
The UK's electricity supply is produced using a variety of fuel sources, including coal, gas, nuclear power, and renewable energy. The UK has committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions and has set a target of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Coal was once the primary source of electricity in the UK, but its influence has significantly diminished due to its high carbon dioxide emissions. In 2022, coal represented only 6% of the UK's CO2 emissions, while natural gas and oil contributed 46.4% and 45.8%, respectively. The UK's energy mix is shifting away from coal, with renewable and nuclear power sources now generating more electricity than coal.
Natural gas, predominantly sourced from the North and Irish Sea, is a significant component of the UK's energy supply. However, there has been a recent shift towards importing natural gas from Norway and other parts of Europe via pipelines. Gas is used for heating homes and businesses and is also employed to offset periods of low wind and flexibility, contributing to the UK's energy security.
Nuclear power plays a vital role in the UK's energy mix by providing a substantial amount of electrical energy with minimal CO2 emissions. Nuclear energy is essential for bolstering energy independence and reaching climate change targets through its supply of dependable, low-carbon energy.
Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, and bioenergy are increasingly becoming a significant part of the UK's electricity supply. In 2023, wind power was the second-largest source of electricity in the UK. The UK is one of the best sites in Europe for wind energy, and its production is the fastest-growing supply. The cost of wind power has decreased over time, making it a more prevalent energy source. The UK has also made strides in renewable energy generation, with renewables contributing 38.9% of the UK's electricity generation in the third quarter of 2019.
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UK's energy imports
The UK's energy imports are an important part of the country's overall energy supply. While the UK does have its own fuel reserves, the percentage of domestically sourced fuel has decreased over time. As a result, the UK imports a significant amount of its energy, particularly fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal.
Natural gas from the North and Irish Sea used to provide a large proportion of the UK's gas supply. However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards importing natural gas from Norway and via pipelines in Europe. The UK also imports gas from Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Qatar in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The UK's electricity production has also diversified, with a mix of gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable sources. The country's reliance on coal has decreased significantly due to environmental concerns and the rise of cheaper, less polluting fuel sources. Nuclear power stations in the UK generate a substantial amount of electrical energy and contribute relatively little to greenhouse gas emissions.
The UK is a global leader in decarbonization and has set ambitious targets for emissions reductions. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan aims to reduce gas imports by 57% by 2030 by accelerating the deployment of renewable energy and cutting fossil fuel use. The electrification of heating and transport systems is expected to play a significant role in reducing import reliance and building energy stability.
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Wind power
The UK's electricity supply comes from a variety of sources, including coal, gas, nuclear power, and renewables. In recent years, the UK has seen a shift towards renewable energy sources, with wind power being the most popular.
The UK currently has over 11,000 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 30 gigawatts (GW), with 16 GW onshore and 15 GW offshore. In 2024, wind power generated nearly 83 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity across Great Britain, up from 79TWh in 2023. This contributed to around a third of Great Britain's electricity supply in 2024, with renewable sources overall generating around 56%.
The cost of wind power has decreased significantly over time, making it a competitive energy source. The UK's largest wind farm operator, Ørsted A/S, predicted in 2016 that wind power could supply more than half of the UK's electricity demand in the future. Public opinion polls also consistently show strong support for wind power, with three-quarters of the UK population in favor of further wind-generated power.
The UK's first electricity-generating wind turbine was installed in 1887 by Scottish academic James Blyth, and the first utility grid-connected wind turbine was built in the Orkney Islands in 1951. In 2010, the Walney Wind Farm was completed, and in 2012, four large offshore wind farms became operational, marking a significant year for the offshore wind industry. In 2013, the London Array, once the largest wind farm in the world, became operational.
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Nuclear power
As of May 2025, the UK has five operational nuclear reactors at four locations, including advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR) and a pressurised water reactor (PWR). These reactors produce 5.9 GWe of electricity. The UK also has nuclear reprocessing plants at Sellafield and the Tails Management Facility (TMF) operated by Urenco in Capenhurst.
The use of nuclear power in the UK has faced some opposition and uncertainty following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. Some companies have pulled out of developing new nuclear power plants, and the Scottish Government has stated that no new nuclear power stations will be constructed in Scotland. Despite this, EDF Energy is planning to build four new reactors at two sites, with construction ongoing at Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which will provide low-carbon electricity to meet 7% of the UK's demand.
The UK government has shown a renewed commitment to nuclear power in recent years, aiming to provide up to one-quarter of the country's electricity generation by 2050. Nuclear power is classified as environmentally sustainable in the UK's green taxonomy, and the government has introduced initiatives such as Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to encourage investment in low-carbon electricity generation projects. The government has also established a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) to help expand nuclear power generation and develop long-term energy strategies.
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Renewable energy targets
The UK government has set a target to meet the country's electricity demand with energy from clean sources by 2030. This is outlined in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which aims to make Britain energy secure, protect households from energy price spikes, and tackle the climate crisis. The plan includes targets for delivering the batteries, network infrastructure, and flexible technologies that will enable the rollout of renewable energy, as well as specific targets for wind and solar farms.
The UK has made significant progress in increasing its renewable energy sources. In 2024, renewable generation output reached 145 TWh, overtaking nuclear output, and renewable energy was responsible for over 47% of the UK's electricity generation. The fastest period of growth for renewables was between 2012 and 2020, with an average increase of almost 12 TWh per year. The UK government expects that most of the country's clean generation in 2030 will come from variable renewables, particularly wind and solar power.
To achieve its 2030 targets, the UK government has set out plans to unblock the grid, speed up planning decisions, and build more renewables. This includes a focus on offshore wind power, with Siemens Gamesa installing over 10 GW of offshore wind capacity in the UK, contributing to nearly 70% of the country's installed wind operational capacity. The government also aims to reform the queuing system for connections to the power grid, which had caused delays in projects.
However, there have been setbacks to the UK's 2030 clean energy targets. SSE, a major energy company, cut its spending on renewables, reducing its investment plans by £3 billion due to policy and planning delays. SSE had previously aimed to increase its renewable energy generation output fivefold by 2030, but its decision to step back from renewable energy investment will impact the government's goals. Despite this, SSE remains committed to developing new offshore wind farms in UK waters and has called for stable market conditions to support its ambitions.
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Frequently asked questions
Electricity in the UK is supplied through a variety of sources, including coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables.
Renewable sources of electricity in the UK include wind, solar, and hydroelectric power.
In 2022, renewable sources contributed to 41.9% of the UK's total electricity generation. This marked a substantial 1,452% increase from 2000 to 2022.
The UK's energy sources have evolved significantly over the decades. In the 1940s, coal was the primary source of electricity, but its use has declined due to environmental concerns and the rise of alternative energy sources.
The National Grid is the electric power transmission network for Great Britain. It plays a crucial role in transmitting electricity from power stations to homes and businesses across the country.
