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The UK's big picture – renewables up, coal down again in 2019

Energy World; 24/04/2020

The rise of renewables – particularly offshore wind – and the demise of coal were once again the most striking trends in the UK energy scene in 2019.

Renewables’ share of the total electricity generation rose to 37% over the year, while coal production, imports and use as a fuel for power generation all fell to historically low levels.

Natural gas was the most important – and rising – fuel for power generation. Statistics released by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) show that:

Total energy production was 0.5% lower than in 2018; the first fall since 2014 was due to rises in output from oil, bioenergy and waste, wind, solar and hydro being offset by falls from coal, gas and nuclear.
Imports in 2019 were 2.1% lower than in 2018, whilst exports fell by 0.3%.
Crude oil and natural gas liquids production was 1.8% higher than in 2018; natural gas production was 2.2% lower.
Coal production was 16% lower than in 2018, and at a record low level, mainly due to lower demand for electricity generation. Imports of coal in 2019 were 33% lower. Final energy consumption (excluding non-energy use) was 1.1% lower than in 2018. On a temperature adjusted basis it is estimated to have fallen by 0.8%.
Electricity generation in 2019 fell by 2.8%, to 324 TWh, with falls in generation from coal and nuclear offset by an increase from renewables, primarily bioenergy, wind and solar generation.
Of electricity generated in 2019, gas accounted for 41% (up 1.4% compared to 2018) and coal 2.1% (a fall of 2.9%). The nuclear share decreased by 2.2% on 2018 to 17%, due to plant outages.
Renewable electricity generation was 119 TWh in 2019, a record high and an increase of 8.5% on 2018, largely due to increased generating capacity. Renewables’ share of electricity generation increased by 3.8% to 37%, also a record high, due to higher renewable generation and lower overall electricity generation.
Renewable electricity capacity was 47 GW at the end of 2019, a 3.0 GW rise on a year earlier, with half of the increase from offshore wind.
Low carbon electricity’s share of generation increased from 53% UK net emissions of carbon dioxide were estimated to be 352mn tonnes, 3.9% lower than those for 2018 in 2018 to a record high of 54% in 2019.

BEIS also issued estimates of 2019 UK greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, UK net emissions of carbon dioxide were estimated to be 352mn tonnes, 3.9% lower than those for 2018. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas, accounting for 81% of total UK emissions in 2019.

The decrease was driven by the continuing downward trend in emissions from power stations, with a 13% decrease between 2018 and 2019.

There was also a 2.8% fall in carbon dioxide emissions from transport, which fell for the second year in a row following several years of increases. Transport nevertheless remains the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, accounting for 34% in 2019, says BEIS.

Focusing on renewables-rich Scotland, an impressive 90% of Scotland’s electricity consumption now comes from renewable sources – an increase of 14% year-on-year. Scotland has a target of 100% renewables by 2020; a figure that could still be met, according to trade association Scottish Renewables.

News Item details

Journal title: Energy World

Countries: UK -

Organisation: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Subjects: Offshore wind power, Coal, Renewables