The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) released its Digest of UK Energy Statistics for 2019 on 25 July.
Key points published in the document include:
- In 2018, UK energy production was up 2.9 per cent on a year earlier. The rise was driven by growth from primary oil, wind, solar and bioenergy and waste. Overall fossil fuel production increased, but with coal reaching a record low.
- Imports and exports in 2018 were both up; overall net imports decreased and accounted for 36.0 per cent of energy used in the UK.
Primary energy consumption was nearly unchanged on 2017 but on a temperature adjusted basis primary energy consumption was down 1.1 per cent continuing the downward trend of the last ten years. UK temperatures were broadly similar, whilst there was an increase in heating degree days compared to 2017. - Fossil fuels remain the dominant source of energy supply, but now account for 79.4 per cent, a record low level.
- Supply from renewables increased, with their contribution accounting for 11.0 per cent of final consumption on the EU agreed basis
Generation from coal fell by 25 per cent, gas fell by 3.8 per cent, whilst renewables rose by 12 per cent. Renewables’ share of generation was at a record high level of 33.0 per cent in 2018, up from 29.2 per cent in 2017, due to increased wind, solar and plant biomass capacity. - Provisional BEIS estimates suggest that overall emissions fell by 9.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2017 and 2018, mainly due to the changes in the fuel mix used for electricity generation.
