UK electricity in May 2021
Day by day: how Great Britain made its electricity in May 2021.
In May 2021, gas made 40% of Britain's electricity, then wind (19%). Renewables made 33%, against 40% a year earlier; average carbon intensity 178 g/kWh.
Electricity generated each day, May 2021
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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the numbers
May 2021 in total
| Source | Electricity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 9,170 GWh | 39.6% |
| Wind | 4,296 GWh | 18.6% |
| Nuclear | 3,393 GWh | 14.7% |
| Imports | 2,477 GWh | 10.7% |
| Biomass | 1,665 GWh | 7.2% |
| Solar | 1,500 GWh | 6.5% |
| Hydro | 213 GWh | 0.9% |
| Coal | 172 GWh | 0.7% |
| Other | 142 GWh | 0.6% |
| Pumped storage | 122 GWh | 0.5% |
| Renewable (wind, solar, hydro, biomass) | 33.1% | |
| Low carbon (renewable plus nuclear) | 47.8% |
Standout days
- Windiest day397.5 GWh of windFri, 21 May 2021
- Highest wind share50.4%Fri, 21 May 2021
- Sunniest day80.0 GWh of solarMon, 31 May 2021
- Cleanest day91 g/kWh averageFri, 21 May 2021
- Dirtiest day245 g/kWh averageFri, 14 May 2021
Every day
| Day | Total | Wind | Gas | Nuclear | Solar | Carbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 1 May | 727 GWh | 4% | 55% | 14% | 7% | 238 g |
| Sun 2 May | 702 GWh | 4% | 53% | 15% | 8% | 228 g |
| Mon 3 May | 731 GWh | 35% | 30% | 14% | 3% | 143 g |
| Tue 4 May | 838 GWh | 45% | 22% | 12% | 6% | 96 g |
| Wed 5 May | 823 GWh | 23% | 39% | 13% | 7% | 170 g |
| Thu 6 May | 813 GWh | 15% | 47% | 13% | 7% | 211 g |
| Fri 7 May | 784 GWh | 10% | 46% | 13% | 8% | 224 g |
| Sat 8 May | 704 GWh | 37% | 25% | 15% | 2% | 127 g |
| Sun 9 May | 683 GWh | 38% | 22% | 15% | 6% | 111 g |
| Mon 10 May | 758 GWh | 35% | 25% | 14% | 8% | 116 g |
| Tue 11 May | 769 GWh | 18% | 39% | 13% | 7% | 173 g |
| Wed 12 May | 780 GWh | 11% | 46% | 13% | 7% | 213 g |
| Thu 13 May | 771 GWh | 8% | 50% | 13% | 4% | 235 g |
| Fri 14 May | 761 GWh | 6% | 53% | 12% | 4% | 245 g |
| Sat 15 May | 700 GWh | 9% | 51% | 13% | 5% | 229 g |
| Sun 16 May | 697 GWh | 8% | 48% | 14% | 7% | 210 g |
| Mon 17 May | 768 GWh | 8% | 50% | 13% | 6% | 231 g |
| Tue 18 May | 773 GWh | 7% | 50% | 13% | 7% | 228 g |
| Wed 19 May | 774 GWh | 6% | 51% | 13% | 8% | 222 g |
| Thu 20 May | 767 GWh | 34% | 31% | 13% | 3% | 145 g |
| Fri 21 May | 789 GWh | 50% | 21% | 13% | 3% | 91 g |
| Sat 22 May | 730 GWh | 26% | 34% | 15% | 6% | 143 g |
| Sun 23 May | 710 GWh | 33% | 24% | 16% | 5% | 115 g |
| Mon 24 May | 780 GWh | 23% | 33% | 16% | 7% | 144 g |
| Tue 25 May | 780 GWh | 23% | 34% | 16% | 5% | 147 g |
| Wed 26 May | 785 GWh | 15% | 42% | 16% | 6% | 182 g |
| Thu 27 May | 751 GWh | 6% | 46% | 17% | 9% | 199 g |
| Fri 28 May | 739 GWh | 4% | 50% | 18% | 7% | 221 g |
| Sat 29 May | 675 GWh | 5% | 45% | 19% | 10% | 194 g |
| Sun 30 May | 634 GWh | 9% | 36% | 21% | 13% | 160 g |
| Mon 31 May | 653 GWh | 17% | 31% | 20% | 12% | 141 g |