Official stats show renewables up 36% in first quarter

Renewable energy's share of the market grew by 36% during the first quarter of 2012 at a time when oil and gas production both fell according to DECC's latest quarterly statistics.


Energy Minister Charles Hendry, welcoming the rise in renewables, said it showed the UK to be ‘powering forward on clean and secure energy’ and ‘clearly a very attractive place to invest’.

In terms of total energy share, renewables is now at 3.8% of consumption, compared to 3.2% in 2010. At the same time, oil production fell by 13% in the first quarter while gas fell 14.1% as a result of maintenance and slowdowns on a number of fields.

Total primary energy consumption also declined, however, falling 2.3% between 2011 and 2012, although that equates to a weather-adjusted decline of 1.1%.

Of electricity generated, gas accounted for 27%, its lowest share in 14 years; coal was on 42% and nuclear on 17%, down from 19% in the first quarter of 2011.

The detailed listing of performance by renewables, shows onshore wind up 51% to 3.6 TWh, due to increased capacity; hydro up 43%, due to high winter rainfall; offshore wind up 50% and bioenergy up 21%, due in part to Tilbury B’s move to biomass.

edie staff

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