Considering the turbulent year we’ve had it’s sometimes hard getting the good news to shout above the bad, but in this instance we think it’s definitely worth shouting about.
Official energy figures have revealed that in the last quarter of 2016 half of all the UK’s electricity came from a low carbon source.
The National Statistics figures, revealed on Thursday, show that the UK’s reliance on low carbon electricity has grown considerably 2013.
While gas still provides over 40 per cent of the UK’s electricity, the focus on renewable energy is starting to pay off.
Wind, solar and bioenergy now account for 25 per cent of the UK’s needs and it’s expected for that figure to grow as new wind farms go online in the next few years.
While there have been fluctuations, particularly in the latter half of 2015 we have seen a steady growth in the amount of electricity being produced. Wind and solar in particular have almost doubled their share.
This should only increase as major projects like Hornsea Project Two go online.
Over twice the size of Birmingham, this vast wind farm in the North Sea would become the largest of its kind in the world.
If completed, would deliver electricity to around 1.8m homes in the United Kingdom.
The project will be funded by Danish company Dong Energy who have already invested £6bn into the UK economy with Hornsea Project One.
Earlier this year Scotland revealed just how effective wind power had become for delivering their electricity needs.
In early August, 2016, high winds in the area meant that Scotland was able to provide 106 per cent of its renewable energy needs.
The wind farms pumped in a staggering 39,645 megawatt hours into the National Grid within 24 hours.
It takes just 37,202 MWh to power all the homes and businesses in Scotland.