Global GridThe United Kingdom's energy mix and electricity
🇬🇧 In 2025, the United Kingdom generated 292 TWh of electricity. The largest source was gas at 31%, followed by wind (29%) and bioenergy (14%). In total, 64% came from low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) and 36% from fossil fuels.
On average, each kilowatt hour produced about 217 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂), far below the world average of 458 grams in 2025. That makes the United Kingdom the 45th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Electricity demand was 321 TWh. The United Kingdom imported 29.1 TWh more electricity than it exported, equal to 9.1% of its demand.
Since 2000, electricity generation has fallen by 23%, from 377 TWh. The low-carbon share went from 25% to 64%. The biggest rise was in wind, from 0% to 29% of generation. The biggest fall was in coal, from 32% to 0%. Carbon intensity fell from 522 to 217 grams per kWh.
Live figures for Great Britain, updated every 5 minutes, are on the live dashboard.
Great Britain trades electricity with its neighbours over 10 interconnector cables, from IFA (1986) to Greenlink (2025): see every UK interconnector.
Energy mix in 2025
- Gas 31%
- Wind 29%
- Bioenergy 14%
- Nuclear 12%
- Solar 6.6%
- Oil and other fossil fuels 4.4%
- Hydro 1.9%
- Coal 0.1%
| Source | Share | Generated |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 31% | 90.8 TWh |
| Wind | 29% | 85.8 TWh |
| Bioenergy | 14% | 41.2 TWh |
| Nuclear | 12% | 36.2 TWh |
| Solar | 6.6% | 19.3 TWh |
| Oil and other fossil fuels | 4.4% | 12.8 TWh |
| Hydro | 1.9% | 5.55 TWh |
| Coal | 0.1% | 0.29 TWh |
Total energy mix in 2024
Electricity is only part of the energy the United Kingdom uses: fuel for transport, heating and industry counts too. In 2024, the United Kingdom used 1,940 TWh of energy in all (primary energy). The largest source was oil at 39%, followed by gas (32%) and wind (11%). Fossil fuels made up 74% and low-carbon sources (nuclear and renewables) 26%.
- Oil 39%
- Gas 32%
- Wind 11%
- Other renewables 6.5%
- Nuclear 5.2%
- Coal 2.5%
- Solar 1.9%
- Biofuels 1.4%
- Hydro 0.7%
| Source | Share of all energy |
|---|---|
| Oil | 39% |
| Gas | 32% |
| Wind | 11% |
| Other renewables | 6.5% |
| Nuclear | 5.2% |
| Coal | 2.5% |
| Solar | 1.9% |
| Biofuels | 1.4% |
| Hydro | 0.7% |
Primary energy, with nuclear and renewable electricity counted as the fuel a power station would need to make it (the "substitution method"). Here "other renewables" is the Energy Institute's "geothermal, biomass and other" power generation, and biofuels are liquid fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0).
Energy security score
Strong. The United Kingdom ranks 60th of 158 countries and 17th of 39 in Europe. The score shows how well a country could keep electricity affordable and on if fuel supplies were disrupted.
| Measure | Score |
|---|---|
| Produces its own energy In 2024, the United Kingdom produced energy equal to 60% of all the energy it used (100% or more scores full marks). | 60 |
| Variety of power sources How evenly generation is spread across nine sources. The largest, gas, made 31%. | 87 |
| Little reliance on imported power Net imports were 9.1% of demand; each 1% takes off 2 points. | 82 |
| Low-carbon power Nuclear and renewables made 64% of generation. | 64 |
| Low gas and oil use Gas and oil made 36% of generation; the score is 100 minus that share. | 65 |
The five measures are weighted 30%, 20%, 20%, 15% and 15%. How the score works.
Oil and gas pipelines
Global Energy Monitor lists 17,666 km of oil and gas pipelines operating in the United Kingdom, 0 km being built and 85 km proposed (lengths measured along the mapped routes; a pipeline crossing borders counts in full for each country). For liquefied natural gas (LNG), shipped by sea, it lists 5 import terminals operating (5 more being built or proposed).
See them on the interactive map · Pipelines around the world
How it has changed
| Year | Generated | Low-carbon | Fossil | CO₂ g/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 377 TWh | 25% | 75% | 522 |
| 2005 | 398 TWh | 25% | 75% | 535 |
| 2010 | 382 TWh | 23% | 77% | 517 |
| 2015 | 339 TWh | 46% | 55% | 398 |
| 2020 | 310 TWh | 58% | 41% | 243 |
| 2024 | 284 TWh | 64% | 35% | 217 |
| 2025 | 292 TWh | 64% | 35% | 217 |
Questions about the United Kingdom's energy
What is the United Kingdom's energy mix?
In 2025, the United Kingdom's electricity came from gas 31%, wind 29%, bioenergy 14% and nuclear 12%. Counting all the energy it uses, including fuel for transport and heating, the mix in 2024 was oil 39%, gas 32%, wind 11% and other renewables 6.5%.
How much of the United Kingdom's electricity is renewable?
52% of its electricity came from renewables in 2025 (wind 29%, bioenergy 14%, solar 6.6% and hydro 1.9%). Including nuclear power, 64% of its electricity was low-carbon.
What is the United Kingdom's main source of electricity?
Gas, which made 31% of its electricity in 2025.
How clean is the United Kingdom's electricity?
About 217 grams of CO₂ for each kilowatt hour in 2025, far below the world average of 458 grams. It ranks 45th cleanest of 158 countries that generate at least 1 TWh a year.
Does the United Kingdom import electricity?
Yes: in 2025 it imported 29.1 TWh more than it exported, 9.1% of its demand.
How secure is the United Kingdom's energy supply?
Global Grid's energy security score for the United Kingdom is 71 out of 100 (strong), 60th of 158 countries. It looks at how much of its own energy it produces, how varied its power sources are, its reliance on imported power and its use of low-carbon power, gas and oil.
Other countries in Europe
Sources: Ember yearly electricity data (CC BY 4.0), figures up to 2025; energy production and use by source from the Energy Institute Statistical Review via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0), 2024; pipelines and LNG terminals from Global Energy Monitor's Global Oil Infrastructure Tracker (June 2026 release) and Global Gas Infrastructure Tracker (November 2025 release) (CC BY 4.0). Ember's latest-year figures are first estimates and may be revised. TWh: terawatt hours (one billion kWh).