A Snapshot of Renewable Energy in the UK

Posted on by Boˆreal

The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) has published its latest annual report, REview 24, outlining the UK’s renewable energy landscape, the sector’s progress, challenges, and policy recommendations for achieving a net zero future. Here are the highlights:

Progress and Growth

  • Renewables’ Contribution: Renewable energy now accounts for 15.5% of the UK’s total energy consumption and 47.2% of electricity generation, reflecting a steady increase from 41.7% in 2022.
  • Sector Expansion: The sector’s total market value grew by 6%, reaching £24.38 billion in 2022/23. Employment rose by 1.6%, with 143,000 full-time equivalent jobs created.
  • Leading Technologies:
    • Wind Power: The largest contributor, providing nearly 29% of total UK electricity. Offshore wind dominates, generating 49,550 GWh in 2023.
    • Solar PV: Grew by 13% in 2023, generating 13,826 GWh and accounting for 4.7% of UK electricity.
    • Bioenergy: Remains significant, producing 11% of renewable electricity, despite modest declines.

Challenges in Renewable Heat and Transport

  • Heat: Low-carbon heat meets only 9.4% of demand, up from 3.7% in 2013. Biomass remains the largest contributor (62% of renewable heat), but policy gaps hinder further growth.
  • Transport: Renewable transport fuels power 6% of transport demand, with 250,000 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) registered in 2023. EV charge points surpassed 60,000, but policy uncertainty has slowed uptake.

Circular Bioresources and Waste-to-Energy

  • Recycling Leadership: Wales continues to lead globally, with a 62% recycling rate. Compost production rose by 18.5%, and digestate increased by 8.5%.
  • Waste-to-Energy (WtE): Represents 3.5% of electricity generation, with EfW (energy from waste) seeing a record output of 4,971 GWh in 2023.

Policy Recommendations for Acceleration

  1. Grid Infrastructure: Address capacity constraints to enable renewable deployment.
  2. Net Zero Policies: Establish an Office for Net Zero Deployment and finalise market reforms for electricity.
  3. Technology Support:
    • Prioritise bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to achieve negative emissions by 2030.
    • Implement mechanisms for long-duration energy storage.
  4. Renewable Heat: Expand support for diverse low-carbon heat technologies, including geothermal, biomass, and heat pumps.

Looking Ahead

The report forecasts the renewable energy market will nearly double, reaching £41.14 billion by 2035. Achieving this requires cohesive strategies, robust infrastructure, and consistent support for innovation. The UK is well-positioned to lead in clean energy, provided policy frameworks align with technological and market potential.

This snapshot underscores the dynamism of the UK’s renewable energy sector, highlighting the need for policy and investment to maintain momentum toward a sustainable future.

Source

REview 24, The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), 2024-11-14

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