UK electricity in 2016
How Great Britain made its electricity in 2016, from 366 days of half-hourly data.
In 2016, gas made 42% of Britain's electricity, ahead of nuclear (22%). Renewables made 14% (up from 14% in 2015), and the average carbon intensity was 274 g/kWh.
Electricity generated each day in 2016
GWh a day
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the numbers
- Nuclear
- Gas
- Hydro
- Imports
- Pumped storage
- Wind
- Solar
- 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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2016 in total
| Source | Electricity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 127.3 TWh | 42.0% |
| Nuclear | 66.8 TWh | 22.0% |
| Wind | 30.3 TWh | 10.0% |
| Coal | 28.0 TWh | 9.2% |
| Imports | 20.3 TWh | 6.7% |
| Other | 14.2 TWh | 4.7% |
| Solar | 10.0 TWh | 3.3% |
| Hydro | 3,379 GWh | 1.1% |
| Pumped storage | 2,863 GWh | 0.9% |
| Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, biomass) | 14.4% | |
| Low carbon (renewable plus nuclear) | 36.4% |
Standout days
- Windiest day222.6 GWh of windSat, 24 December 2016
- Highest wind share30.5%Sun, 25 December 2016
- Sunniest day67.1 GWh of solarWed, 4 May 2016
- Cleanest day135 g/kWh averageSun, 7 August 2016
- Dirtiest day444 g/kWh averageTue, 19 January 2016
- Busiest day1050.4 GWh in totalWed, 20 January 2016
Month by month
| Month | Total | Wind | Gas | Nuclear | Solar | Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2016 | 28.5 TWh | 12% | 36% | 20% | 1% | 315 g |
| February 2016 | 26.8 TWh | 11% | 34% | 19% | 2% | 330 g |
| March 2016 | 27.7 TWh | 8% | 39% | 19% | 3% | 321 g |
| April 2016 | 24.9 TWh | 9% | 44% | 20% | 5% | 272 g |
| May 2016 | 23.4 TWh | 10% | 42% | 22% | 6% | 233 g |
| June 2016 | 22.6 TWh | 6% | 44% | 24% | 5% | 261 g |
| July 2016 | 22.7 TWh | 8% | 42% | 26% | 6% | 224 g |
| August 2016 | 22.4 TWh | 10% | 42% | 26% | 6% | 213 g |
| September 2016 | 22.7 TWh | 11% | 44% | 25% | 4% | 237 g |
| October 2016 | 25.5 TWh | 10% | 49% | 22% | 3% | 282 g |
| November 2016 | 27.8 TWh | 11% | 46% | 21% | 1% | 307 g |
| December 2016 | 28.3 TWh | 12% | 44% | 21% | 1% | 294 g |