Despite good progress, 100% low-carbon energy is still a long way off for the UK

In the past ten years the UK’s electricity mix has changed dramatically. Coal’s contribution has dropped from 40 percent to 6 percent. Wind, solar power and hydroelectric plants now generate more electricity than nuclear power stations, thanks to rapid growth. Demand for electricity has also fallen, reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. Thanks to these three factors, the carbon intensity of Britain’s electricity has almost halved, from more than 500g of CO₂ per kilowatt-hour in 2006 to less than 270g in 2018.