UK Renewable Power Hits New Heights in 2025 Even as Gas Generation Climbs
Wind, solar and biomass set fresh output records across Britain last year, but gas-fired electricity also increased amid rising power demand and system constraints
The United Kingdom’s renewable energy sector delivered a landmark performance in 2025, setting fresh records for combined electricity generation even as gas-fired power increased to help meet rising demand.
Data analysed by energy researchers showed that the nation’s fleet of wind, solar and biomass plants produced an estimated one hundred and fifty-two terawatt-hours of electricity, marking a six per cent rise on the previous year and lifting renewables’ share of the UK’s power mix to a historic high.
Renewables accounted for almost half of the country’s electricity supply, underscoring the growing role of low-carbon generation in Britain’s energy transition.
However, the year also saw gas-fired generation rise, reflecting broader shifts in electricity demand and the evolving balance of the national grid.
While coal power has effectively disappeared following the final closures of fossil-fuelled plants, gas remained a significant backstop, supplementing intermittent renewable output especially during periods of lower wind and solar generation.
The UK’s total electricity demand has also risen in recent years as electrification of transport and heating accelerates, reinforcing the need for dispatchable sources that can be called upon when wind and sunlight are limited.
In parallel to these record renewable figures, solar output benefited from an unusually sunny year, while wind generation sustained its position as a principal source of clean power.
The expansion of renewable capacity has been supported by project approvals and grid investments, but infrastructure lags mean that sometimes surplus wind energy cannot be fully utilised without costly grid upgrades.
Analysts highlight that continued investment in transmission, storage and flexible demand will be essential to translate generation records into sustained emissions reductions.
As the UK’s energy system evolves, the interplay between renewable milestones and gas-fired generation underscores the complexity of balancing reliability, affordability and decarbonisation in a rapidly changing electricity landscape.
Data analysed by energy researchers showed that the nation’s fleet of wind, solar and biomass plants produced an estimated one hundred and fifty-two terawatt-hours of electricity, marking a six per cent rise on the previous year and lifting renewables’ share of the UK’s power mix to a historic high.
Renewables accounted for almost half of the country’s electricity supply, underscoring the growing role of low-carbon generation in Britain’s energy transition.
However, the year also saw gas-fired generation rise, reflecting broader shifts in electricity demand and the evolving balance of the national grid.
While coal power has effectively disappeared following the final closures of fossil-fuelled plants, gas remained a significant backstop, supplementing intermittent renewable output especially during periods of lower wind and solar generation.
The UK’s total electricity demand has also risen in recent years as electrification of transport and heating accelerates, reinforcing the need for dispatchable sources that can be called upon when wind and sunlight are limited.
In parallel to these record renewable figures, solar output benefited from an unusually sunny year, while wind generation sustained its position as a principal source of clean power.
The expansion of renewable capacity has been supported by project approvals and grid investments, but infrastructure lags mean that sometimes surplus wind energy cannot be fully utilised without costly grid upgrades.
Analysts highlight that continued investment in transmission, storage and flexible demand will be essential to translate generation records into sustained emissions reductions.
As the UK’s energy system evolves, the interplay between renewable milestones and gas-fired generation underscores the complexity of balancing reliability, affordability and decarbonisation in a rapidly changing electricity landscape.
