Statistics published today by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) show that wind outperformed gas in 2024 by generating more electricity for the first year ever.

Wind provided a record 30% of Britain's electricity last year (up from 28% in 2023), while gas produced 26.3%. December was the windiest month, when 38.9% of electricity came from wind, with record high amounts of clean power generated.

58% of Britain's electricity came from clean power sources in 2024, as nuclear generated 14% and other renewables provided 13.8%. Coal produced only 0.6% last year,  as Britain's last coal-fired power station closed down in September.

RenewableUK's Director of Future Electricity Systems Barnaby Wharton said:
"It's great to start the new year with a fresh annual wind energy record. NESO's latest figures confirm that wind is the UK's most important clean power source all year round, outperforming gas – and that role is set to grow as fresh projects go live in 2025. But to meet the Government's target of clean power by 2030, we will need to maximise the amount of new capacity we secure in every annual auction for Contracts for Difference across all renewable sources. This must include innovative technologies such as floating offshore wind, which we need to scale up fast to maintain our position as a global leader in the international clean energy sector. To make the most of this clean power we also need to add more flexibility into the system. This means building new large scale energy storage and green hydrogen projects".

How was electricity generated in 2024?

Wind was the largest source of electricity generation in 2024 for the first year ever, accounting for 30%. Renewables generated more than 50% of our electricity for four consecutive quarters (Q4 2023 – Q3 2024) for the first time, averaging 51% during 2024.

Managing electricity demand across the year

Electricity demand fluctuates across this year, showing the variation in usage across the year. Demand remained at its lowest during the summer months, as longer, brighter days reduce the need to light and heat our homes.

It hit an annual high of 45,096MW on 15 January 2024 at 5:30pm and the lowest demand was on 22 August at 3:30am at 30,022MW showing the seasonal differences.

EURO 2024 provided our control room with the challenge of managing peaks and troughs in electricity demand caused by the TV Pick Up effect during matches. The Netherlands vs England semi-final caused an increase in demand for electricity by 1GW at half time, which then fell by 740MW during the second half. We also experienced a 1.3GW increase in demand at half-time during the England vs Spain final, which was fulfilled using 700MW of hydro, 400MW of batteries and increasing the other units already running on the system. 

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: RenewableUK 

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