UK energy production rises
1 Apr 2016
A report published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) shows energy production in the UK has risen for the first time in almost 20 years.
The figures, covering provisional annual data for 2015, suggest the total increase in production was 9.5% higher than in 2014, which DECC said was due to improved output from oil, gas, bioenergy and primary electricity.
According to DECC’s Energy Trends statistics, electricity generated from low carbon sources rose sharpest.
Electricity generated from nuclear power increased to around 21% of the UK’s total production capabilities, which was an overall increase of 2%.
“Nuclear energy is an important pillar of the UK’s energy strategy and must remain so as the UK continues its transition towards a predominately low-carbon generation mix,” said Tom Greatrex, Nuclear Industry Association chief executive.
Energy generated from renewables, meanwhile, increased by 5.6% on 2014. Of the renewable sources considered – including wind and solar – electricity generated from bioenergy grew by 28%.
Juliet Davenport, chief executive of renewable energy company Good Energy, said: “Renewables have shown incredible growth in the last few years and are leading the way when it comes to making the UK more energy secure in the future.”
In total, energy generated in the UK from nuclear and renewable sources increased to 45.5% in 2015.
Elsewhere, energy generated from gas accounted for almost 30%, a slight decrease on 2014. Coal, however, continued to languish, accounting for 22.6% of electricity generated - a fall of 7% on 2014.
