Renewables outshine coal in United Kingdom energy mix

Solar PV generation also rose by a huge 115% due to increased capacity, while generation from bioenergy increased by 26% thanks to the conversion of a second unit of Drax coal power station to biomass. As we head towards next year’s elections we look to all parties to continue this energy transition by committing to produce an electricity demand reduction strategy and support the continued deployment of renewables.

Industry body Scottish Renewables has warned excluding new onshore wind farms from a subsidy scheme from April 1 2016, a year earlier than planned, alongside other decisions, could cost billions in investment and threatens jobs in the sector.

Gas-fired power stations provided the most electricity – 30% – with renewables second.

DECC’s statistical releases showed that while renewable energy generation soared to just under 20TWh in Q2 2015 – an increase of more than 50% on the 13.2TWh recorded in Q2 2014 – the consumer energy price index has remained largely stagnant over the past year.

However, recent curbs in subsidies to solar and onshore wind announced by the government have dented investor confidence in renewables and McCaffery called for clearer signals from government that it was backing new projects.

However, she said this government has so far provided a series of “disappointing” announcements, which “betray a lack of positive ambition”.

“If Ministers want to see good statistics like we’ve had today continuing into the years ahead, they have to knuckle down, listen to the high level of public support we enjoy, and start making positive announcements on wind, wave and tidal energy”.

World Coal Association chief Benjamin Sporton said recently that figures from the worldwide Energy Agency showed renewables would begin to overtake coal in the global energy mix in 2040.

“[It] is impacting the industry’s cost of capital and is additionally creating some difficulty in securing long term finance for certain projects, at least until the legislation has reached Royal Assent ” Chief executive Andrew Whalley said it had inflicted significant damage to a developing industry which employs tens of thousands of people and has made an increasing contribution to the generation of cheap and clean energy.

RenewableUK chief executive Maria McCaffery said: “Renewables have now become Britain’s second largest source of electricity, generating more than a quarter of our needs”. We know these businesses work.