UK wind farms hit a new annual electricity generation record in 2022, according to statistics from the UK Government.
The figures, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, reveal that wind generated 24.6%of the country’s electricity last year (80.2TWh), up from 21% (64.7TWh) in 2021 and an all-time annual high.
Offshore wind provided a record 13.8% (45TWh), up from 11.5% (35.5TWh) in 2021. Onshore wind also generated a record annual amount of electricity (35.1TWh), providing 10.8% of the UK’s power.
The growth in offshore wind generation was driven by the addition of 3193MW of new turbines in British waters last year, while just 318MW of new onshore wind was added, mainly due to planning barriers.
Renewables overall produced 41.4% (134.8TWh) of the UK’s electricity, while low-carbon sources (renewables and nuclear) generated a record 56%.
RenewableUK Executive Director of Policy Ana Musat said: “These record-breaking statistics show that wind is playing the leading role in Britain’s modern clean energy mix, keeping homes and businesses powered up using our superb natural resources.
“Wind is our cheapest source of power and every unit of electricity we generate from it means burning one less unit of fossil fuel. Wind is the key to cutting our dependence on expensive, volatile imported gas and reducing energy bills.
“But the international competition for investment in renewables is intense, so we’re urging the Government to make Britain the most attractive country for building new clean energy projects. This will enable us to create tens of thousands of jobs and attract billions in investment, as well as ensuring that we can move faster towards our climate change goals.”