Renewable energy sources, including wind, hydro and solar, have generated more power than gas stations in the UK during the winter of 2023/24.
Data from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit’s (ECIU) Power Tracker indicates that renewable generation reached approximately 55TWh (terawatt hours), surpassing the estimated 45TWh generated by gas.
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at ECIU, emphasised the importance of transitioning to renewables to mitigate the risks associated with importing gas from abroad.
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at ECIU, said: “With or without new licenses, the North Sea will continue its inevitable decline so we’ll need to import ever greater quantities of gas from abroad unless we cut our demand by rolling out more renewables.
“The price of gas is set by international markets so the choice for the UK is stark. Boost British renewables and achieve clean power or import more gas at a price we can’t control.
“Despite the good news on renewables now, if you look more broadly we’re heading backwards on energy independence. The government fumbled its last renewables auction securing no new offshore wind farms.
“It’s also set to agree only a limited number in the next auction round because of Treasury’s odd rules. It has also just delayed the roll-out of heat pumps which can run on electricity from British offshore wind, rather than boilers that will increasingly have to run on foreign gas.”
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