UK electricity in 2020
How Great Britain made its electricity in 2020, from 366 days of half-hourly data.
In 2020, gas made 35% of Britain's electricity, ahead of wind (25%). Renewables made 37% (up from 31% in 2019), and the average carbon intensity was 168 g/kWh.
185 of 366 days were coal-free.
Electricity generated each day in 2020
GWh a day
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the numbers
- Nuclear
- Gas
- Hydro
- Imports
- Biomass
- 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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2020 in total
| Source | Electricity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 95.1 TWh | 34.5% |
| Wind | 68.3 TWh | 24.8% |
| Nuclear | 47.4 TWh | 17.2% |
| Imports | 23.0 TWh | 8.4% |
| Biomass | 18.0 TWh | 6.5% |
| Solar | 12.1 TWh | 4.4% |
| Coal | 4,383 GWh | 1.6% |
| Hydro | 4,311 GWh | 1.6% |
| Pumped storage | 1,490 GWh | 0.5% |
| Other | 1,472 GWh | 0.5% |
| Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, biomass) | 37.3% | |
| Low carbon (renewable plus nuclear) | 54.5% |
Standout days
- Windiest day381.4 GWh of windMon, 10 February 2020
- Highest wind share50.1%Sat, 26 December 2020
- Sunniest day80.8 GWh of solarFri, 29 May 2020
- Cleanest day70 g/kWh averageSun, 5 July 2020
- Dirtiest day300 g/kWh averageFri, 24 January 2020
- Busiest day977.8 GWh in totalWed, 22 January 2020
Month by month
| Month | Total | Wind | Gas | Nuclear | Solar | Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2020 | 27.1 TWh | 28% | 31% | 18% | 1% | 185 g |
| February 2020 | 25.1 TWh | 34% | 26% | 16% | 2% | 155 g |
| March 2020 | 25.3 TWh | 27% | 33% | 13% | 4% | 167 g |
| April 2020 | 20.0 TWh | 21% | 31% | 19% | 8% | 149 g |
| May 2020 | 19.8 TWh | 20% | 28% | 21% | 10% | 136 g |
| June 2020 | 19.7 TWh | 21% | 37% | 17% | 8% | 165 g |
| July 2020 | 21.1 TWh | 20% | 39% | 18% | 7% | 174 g |
| August 2020 | 21.1 TWh | 20% | 42% | 15% | 6% | 191 g |
| September 2020 | 21.6 TWh | 24% | 41% | 16% | 5% | 186 g |
| October 2020 | 24.1 TWh | 26% | 35% | 19% | 2% | 158 g |
| November 2020 | 24.1 TWh | 25% | 35% | 18% | 2% | 170 g |
| December 2020 | 26.4 TWh | 25% | 37% | 18% | 1% | 178 g |