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PRESS NOTICE    
  Statistical Press Release 
2012/013 
23 February 2012 
 
UK Energy Statistics – 2011 provisional data 
 
The Department of Energy and Climate Change today releases its December energy 
statistics, that allow an assessment to be made of trends in energy production, 
transformation and consumption in 2011.   
  
Primary energy production fell by a record 14 per cent on a year earlier to 136.3 
million tonnes of oil equivalent, following sharp falls in output from the UK 
Continental Shelf as a result of maintenance activity and slowdowns.  On an annual 
basis, petroleum was down by 17 per cent, with gas production down by 20 per 
cent.  Low carbon energy production grew: nuclear output was up 11 per cent, due to 
increased availability following a number of outages in 2010; wind output from major 
power producers was up by 59 per cent on additional capacity and higher wind 
speeds; with hydro up by 70 per cent following strong rainfall in Northern Scotland. 
 
UK energy production 
 
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
     2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011
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Primary energy consumption was down by 7 per cent, and on a temperature adjusted 
basis, was down 2 per cent continuing the downward trend of the last five years.  
The difference is due to 2011 being the second warmest year on record.  As a result 
there was less demand for energy for heating.   
 
Primary energy consumption 
 
180
190
200
210
220
230
240
250
     2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011
Mi
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n t
on
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Unadjusted
Temperature adjusted
  
Gas 
 
In 2011, UK produced gas accounted for 54 per cent of inputs to UK transmission 
systems, but imports exceeded UK production for the first time.  Net import 
dependency increased to 48 per cent.  However, despite lower UK production, gas 
exports were at record levels, higher even than when UK gas production peaked in 
2000. 
 
In 2011 there were large increase in imports of LNG (liquefied natural gas), with 
imports from Qatar at similar levels to those for pipeline gas from Norway. 
 
UK gas demand was at its lowest level since 1995, due to a combination of milder 
weather and reduced use by generators. 
 
Crude oil and petroleum products   
 
In 2011, crude oil imports exceeded UK production for the first time since 1978, 
though the UK still exported significant quantities, with production still exceeding net 
imports.  The UK remained a net exporter of petroleum products, with net exports of 
5.2 million tonnes, the highest surplus since 2005. 
 
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Electricity 
 
At this stage only complete annual estimates are available for major power producers, 
which exclude auto-producers and some renewable sources.  Gas accounted for 41 per 
cent of electricity supplied in 2011, with coal accounting for 32 per cent and nuclear 20 per 
cent.  The share of generation by gas has fallen from 48% in 2010, with increases in the 
shares of generation for all other fuel sources. 
 
Wind’s share of generation by major power producers has grown from 2.4 per cent to 4.0 
per cent in 2011; with hydro’s share up from 0.8 to 1.5 per cent.  Low carbon sources 
accounted for over 25 per cent of major power producers generation in 2011, up 5 
percentage points on 2010 levels. 
 
Low carbon generation by major power producers 
 
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
     2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Issued by: 
 
Department of Energy and Climate Change, 3 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2AW 
 
Contacts: 
 
Lead statistician: Iain MacLeay, Tel: 0300 068 5048 
 
Press enquiries: Tel: 0300 068 5223 
 
Statistical enquiries: Tel 0300 068 5060 
 
General enquiries: Tel 0300 060 4000 
 
 
Notes to editors 
 
1. Monthly Energy Statistics are compiled by the Department of Energy and Climate 
Change, and available for download on the DECC website at: 
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/source.aspx. 
They contain tables and commentary on highlights, and technical notes.   
 
2. More detailed estimates of 2011 will be available on 29th March when DECC  
publish Energy Trends and Quarterly Energy Prices.  The Digest of UK Energy 
Statistics (DUKES) will be published on 26th July.