A recent study highlights a notable decline in Britain’s electricity generation from fossil fuels, reaching its lowest level in nearly seven decades in 2023.
In 2023, coal, gas, and oil produced only 104 terawatt hours of electricity, a figure last observed in 1957, as per data from Carbon Brief, a specialized website. This represents a 22% decrease from 2022.
Since reaching its zenith in 2008, electricity production from fossil fuels has plummeted by two-thirds, influenced by the surge in renewable energy sources and a drop in electricity demand.
In the last year, fossil fuels contributed to just one-third of the UK’s total electricity supply, marking an all-time low.
Contrastingly, low-carbon energy sources formed 56% of the mix, with renewables at 43% and nuclear energy at 13%.
The UK is on a path to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, with the government setting a target of sourcing 95% of electricity from low-carbon sources by 2030 and fully decarbonizing the sector by 2035.
