New government figures show that more than 73% of electricity generated in Great Britain in 2024 came from low carbon sources, up from 68% the previous year.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero included the data in its latest Energy Trends report, the first to track progress towards the 95% clean power by 2030 target.
UK-wide, renewables generation in the second quarter of 2025 reached a record 54.5%, compared with 51.7% in the same period last year. Offshore wind output rose 10% and solar 27% on the back of new capacity and record sunshine hours, according to the report.
Low carbon sources overall set a new quarterly record at 69.8% of electricity generation, while fossil fuels dropped to an all-time low of 26.7%. Wind outpaced gas for the third time in a quarter.
RenewableUK director of future electricity systems Barnaby Wharton said: “It’s great to see that Britain is making excellent progress towards clean power by 2030, with a significant increase in 2024 compared to the year before, as we roll out vital new wind and solar projects, strengthening our capacity to generate secure homegrown power.”
He added: “This will insulate bill payers in the long term against the volatility of international gas prices which caused the energy crisis. As well as keeping the nation powered up, we’re creating new jobs in places like Teesside, the Humber, East Anglia, the Moray Firth, across the south of Wales and in Belfast. We now have 2,000 supply chain companies based in 70 constituencies all over the UK.”