Favourable weather conditions during a spell one day last week helped the UK’s renewable energy sector set a new record for sustainable power production
Renewable sources of energy briefly met 50.7 per cent of the UK’s electricity needs, reported the National Grid – the organisation responsible for power supply management around the UK – at lunchtime on Wednesday.
Clear skies and strong winds had created ideal weather conditions for solar and wind energy production. Backed up by other renewable sources including wood pellet burning and hydropower, renewable output reached a record 19.3GW at midday, enough to meet more than half of the 35.4GW power demand.
For the first time ever wind nuclear and solar were all generating more than gas and coal combined
Adding nuclear into the equation, low-carbon power sources were generating 73.9 per cent of the country’s electricity.
“For the first time ever this lunchtime wind, nuclear and solar were all generating more than both gas and coal combined,” tweeted the National Grid.
The news comes three weeks after Britain had its first coal-free day since fossil fuel use began during the Industrial Revolution.