A 66% Drop: The Highest Decarbonisation of Electricity
Recent data shows that in 2020 the UK experienced the highest decarbonisation of electricity, with an average of 181gCO2 KWh from January to November. This is a 66% drop from 529CO2 KWh in 2013 and therefore the greenest year on record for the UK’s electricity generation.
Wind and solar power have lead the way for the UK’s reduction in carbon emissions, with energy usage from carbon intense sources showing a drop in the past seven years. However, there is still some way to go in order to reach the Government’s target of 100CO2 KWh by 2030.
Boxing Day Records Broken
On Boxing Day another record was broken for wind power generation in Britain. It was the first 24 hour period where wind farms supplied more than half of the country’s electricity, according to data from Drax Electric Insights.
🌬 For the first time ever yesterday, amid #StormBella, more than half of Great Britain’s #electricity was generated by the #wind
☔️ 5️⃣0️⃣.6️⃣7️⃣% of power was produced by wind turbines
⚡️ Previous record of 50% set on 21 August
👉🏾 https://t.co/otBFE9zO46 (👀 by @I__like__eggs) pic.twitter.com/yEU4mdRf50— Drax (@DraxGroup) December 27, 2020
More than 50.67% of Britain’s power on Boxing Day was supplied by wind farms, assisted by the strong winds from Storm Bella. Nuclear power generated 21.1% of Britain’s electricity, while fossil gas provided 14.6%. The previous record of 50% was set on the 21st August.
PM Boris Johnson has pledged to ensure that the UK’s energy is fuelled by offshore wind by 2030. Speaking in October on his plans for a energy revolution, Boris Johnson said: “we believe that in 10 years’ time, offshore wind will be powering every home in the country, with our target rising from 30GW to 40GW.”
Dogger Bank Windfarm Set to Change the UK Industry
Meanwhile just off the coast of North Yorkshire, the Dogger Bank windfarm project is under way. Almost 200 turbines, each almost as tall as the Eiffel tower, will soon rise above the submerged Doggerland to populate an expanse of sea as large a North Yorkshire itself. This is a huge feat for engineering and marks a step towards the growth of renewable energy in the UK.
Each turbine can generate enough electricity to power 16,000 homes, promising to power a surge in clean electricity. The project is a central part of the government’s plans for climate action, leading the UK to carbon neutrality by 2050.
SSE, the renewable energy company leading the project, will carry out the construction of the wind farm in three phases over the next 10 years. Each phase represents a multi-million pound investment, hundreds of jobs and enough clean electricity to power millions of homes.