Government figures released yesterday in the annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics show that electricity production from renewable energy sources in 2011 was up by 33% on the previous year and accounted for 9.4% of all electricity generated in the year. This increase has predominately been driven by increases in electricity generation from both onshore (up 45% to 10372GWh) and offshore wind (up 68% to 5126GWh).
However, while domestic generation from wind and other renewable energy sources grew significantly, the UK’s reliance on imported fossil fuels hit record 36 year high.
Maria McCaffery , Chief Executive of RenewableUK , the trade and professional body for the wind and marine energy industries, comments:
“These figures highlight the increasingly crucial role that wind and other forms of renewables are playing in the UK’s energy mix. This trend is set to continue and will help the UK to reduce its over-reliance on expensive and unpredictable supplies of imported fossil fuels.
“With the economy in a fragile state we need to do everything we can to boost investor confidence and ensure that the UK develops an energy mix that will not only protect consumers from fluctuating fossil fuel prices in the short term but will also deliver long term security and growth.”
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Offshore WIND staff, July 27, 2012; Image: Scottish Renewables