Terra Firma Energy – 9 April 2026

Renewable energy sources generated more than half of the UK’s electricity for the second consecutive year in 2025, with wind and solar leading the charge to a new record of 52.5% — up from 50.4% in 2024, according to the latest Energy Trends report from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Clean power generation reached 152.5 TWh overall, a year-on-year increase of 5.7%.

Wind and Solar Set New Benchmarks

Wind remained the single largest source of UK electricity, accounting for 30% of total generation (87.1 TWh) — a new record, up from 29.2% the previous year. Offshore wind contributed 17.9% and onshore wind 12.1%, with the two combined responsible for more than half of all renewable output.

Solar also had its strongest year on record, climbing to 6.9% of total electricity supply (20 TWh), up from 5.1% in 2024. Both wind and solar now produce ten times more electricity than they did a decade ago.

Nuclear Decline Offsets Low-Carbon Gains

The overall low-carbon share of the grid — renewables plus nuclear — held broadly steady at 64.8% (188.3 TWh), compared to 64.6% in 2024. However, that stability masks a notable drop in nuclear output, which fell 12% to 35.9 TWh as ageing plants faced retirements and outages. Nuclear generation is now roughly half of what it was in 2015.

Fossil fuel generation edged up marginally to 32% (93.1 TWh), driven almost entirely by gas, which accounted for 31.5% of total output. Coal, meanwhile, contributed nothing — following its full exit from the UK grid in 2024.

What This Means Going Forward

Industry body RenewableUK welcomed the figures but pointed to gas as the remaining challenge. With gas still setting the marginal price of electricity and exposed to global market swings, expanding renewable capacity is seen as the most effective lever for bringing bills down and improving energy security.

The next Contract for Difference auction is scheduled for July, and the sector is pushing for ambitious offshore wind targets to sustain the momentum.