UK Experiences Record - Breaking Solar Year as Renewables Dominate Electricity Generation

Renewable energy generation in 2024 surged by 7% compared to the previous year, hitting a record 144.7 TWh. This represented 50.8% of the total electricity generated. When nuclear energy output is factored in, low-carbon energy sources contributed a record 65% of the annual electricity supply.

According to the latest energy trends briefing from the UK government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), solar generation in 2024 increased by 6.5% year-on-year, producing 14.8 TWh of electricity. Wind energy generation rose by 2.1% to 84.1 TWh, while bioenergy production climbed 18% to 40.1 TWh. In contrast, fossil fuel-based generation dropped 16% to 89.7 TWh.

Remarkably, solar energy set a new record in 2024 despite fewer average daily sun hours. This achievement is attributed to the expansion of solar capacity in the UK.

As of the end of February 2025, solar deployment in the UK reached 18 GW. This marked a 1.1 GW increase in installed capacity since February 2024.

While UK government deployment data indicates a slower start to 2025 compared to the previous year, DESNZ emphasizes that its statistics are preliminary and may be revised in the coming months.

In February 2025, residential solar installations accounted for 73% of new installations, adding 58 MW of capacity. Although the majority of solar installations in the UK are residential, they only represent 30% of the total installed capacity.

Based on current trends, the UK government is at risk of missing its 2030 solar deployment targets. The government aims to install at least 45 GW of solar capacity, meaning an additional 27 GW needs to be deployed over the next five years. This would require a nearly five-fold increase in the deployment pace compared to 2024.

However, solar capacity additions are projected to accelerate in the coming months. This is due to the growth of the UK's utility-scale solar pipeline and increased government investment in solar deployment.