UK electricity in May 2012
Day by day: how Great Britain made its electricity in May 2012.
In May 2012, coal made 39% of Britain's electricity, then gas (29%). Renewables made 4%, against 5% a year earlier; average carbon intensity 486 g/kWh.
Electricity generated each day, May 2012
GWh a day
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the numbers
- Nuclear
- Gas
- Hydro
- Imports
- Pumped storage
- Wind
- Coal
- Other
Share of electricity, by source
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the numbers
Carbon intensity
g CO₂ per kWh, daily average
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the numbers
May 2012 in total
| Source | Electricity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Coal | 10.0 TWh | 38.8% |
| Gas | 7,512 GWh | 29.0% |
| Nuclear | 5,897 GWh | 22.8% |
| Imports | 1,152 GWh | 4.4% |
| Wind | 888 GWh | 3.4% |
| Pumped storage | 224 GWh | 0.9% |
| Hydro | 157 GWh | 0.6% |
| Other | 32.9 GWh | 0.1% |
| Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, biomass) | 4.0% | |
| Low carbon (renewable plus nuclear) | 26.8% |
Standout days
- Windiest day79.4 GWh of windSun, 13 May 2012
- Highest wind share10.8%Sun, 13 May 2012
- Sunniest day0.0 GWh of solarTue, 1 May 2012
- Cleanest day412 g/kWh averageSat, 26 May 2012
- Dirtiest day528 g/kWh averageWed, 2 May 2012
Every day
| Day | Total | Wind | Gas | Nuclear | Solar | Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 May | 913 GWh | 5% | 25% | 22% | 0% | 495 g |
| Wed 2 May | 907 GWh | 2% | 27% | 22% | 0% | 528 g |
| Thu 3 May | 928 GWh | 2% | 29% | 21% | 0% | 526 g |
| Fri 4 May | 907 GWh | 4% | 29% | 21% | 0% | 506 g |
| Sat 5 May | 818 GWh | 3% | 27% | 23% | 0% | 495 g |
| Sun 6 May | 785 GWh | 1% | 25% | 24% | 0% | 507 g |
| Mon 7 May | 812 GWh | 4% | 24% | 24% | 0% | 506 g |
| Tue 8 May | 882 GWh | 2% | 31% | 22% | 0% | 498 g |
| Wed 9 May | 903 GWh | 2% | 35% | 22% | 0% | 495 g |
| Thu 10 May | 890 GWh | 8% | 30% | 22% | 0% | 459 g |
| Fri 11 May | 862 GWh | 6% | 30% | 22% | 0% | 467 g |
| Sat 12 May | 768 GWh | 4% | 25% | 25% | 0% | 476 g |
| Sun 13 May | 738 GWh | 11% | 24% | 21% | 0% | 456 g |
| Mon 14 May | 859 GWh | 8% | 37% | 17% | 0% | 454 g |
| Tue 15 May | 884 GWh | 6% | 37% | 18% | 0% | 466 g |
| Wed 16 May | 883 GWh | 2% | 36% | 22% | 0% | 478 g |
| Thu 17 May | 886 GWh | 1% | 33% | 22% | 0% | 494 g |
| Fri 18 May | 868 GWh | 5% | 28% | 22% | 0% | 486 g |
| Sat 19 May | 779 GWh | 3% | 28% | 25% | 0% | 463 g |
| Sun 20 May | 754 GWh | 2% | 24% | 25% | 0% | 490 g |
| Mon 21 May | 846 GWh | 2% | 28% | 23% | 0% | 498 g |
| Tue 22 May | 840 GWh | 2% | 28% | 23% | 0% | 496 g |
| Wed 23 May | 840 GWh | 1% | 29% | 24% | 0% | 507 g |
| Thu 24 May | 843 GWh | 0% | 31% | 23% | 0% | 498 g |
| Fri 25 May | 807 GWh | 5% | 27% | 25% | 0% | 462 g |
| Sat 26 May | 708 GWh | 8% | 23% | 28% | 0% | 412 g |
| Sun 27 May | 691 GWh | 3% | 25% | 29% | 0% | 431 g |
| Mon 28 May | 823 GWh | 1% | 29% | 24% | 0% | 489 g |
| Tue 29 May | 812 GWh | 1% | 30% | 24% | 0% | 495 g |
| Wed 30 May | 836 GWh | 1% | 29% | 23% | 0% | 516 g |
| Thu 31 May | 837 GWh | 2% | 30% | 23% | 0% | 503 g |