Renewables’ share of electricity generation in the UK increased from 9.1% in the third quarter of 2011 to 11.7% in the third quarter of 2012, according to new figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Renewable electricity generation totalled 9.5 TWh in the third quarter of 2012, an increase of 25.2% on the 7.6 TWh in the third quarter of 2011.
Wind power has expanded particularly rapidly over the last year, with offshore wind generation rising by 54.2% and onshore wind generation rising by 38.2%, due to increased capacity.
However, generation from hydro fell by 16.2% in the third quarter of 2012 compared with a year earlier, because of lower rainfall in North Scotland, and the share of liquid biofuels of petrol and diesel consumed in road transport fell from 3.9% to 2.7%. DECC claims this is due to a 63% fall in biodiesel consumption as a result of the ending of duty relief on cooking oil used for biodiesel in March.
The UK is aiming to source 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
You can download the full Energy Trends report for the third quarter here.
