RenewableUK has welcomed new official Government statistics published today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) showing that the amount of electricity generated from renewable energy sources reached a new record high of 15.5% of total electricity generation in the second quarter of this year. This is a jump of 5.8% compared with the same period in 2012, when the figure stood at 9.7%.
Generation from onshore wind was up 70% on the same time last year, while offshore wind showed an increase of 51%, due to increased capacity onshore and offshore, as well as high wind speeds, according to DECC. Nearly half of the total generation from renewables came from wind (48%).
Maf Smith, Deputy Chief Executive of RenewableUK said:
“This confirms what we have been seeing for some time, which is renewables steadily becoming more important in meeting our electricity needs, and wind being responsible for the lion’s share of the progress. That this period coincided with one of the coldest Springs on record means that wind was providing this power at a crucial time.
“ The fact that we have seen the record for renewables generation broken twice in the space of a few months shows for itself the progress being made in the race to decarbonise our economy and secure our future electricity supply.”
[mappress]
Press release, September 26, 2013; Image: ukti