Renewable energy overtakes coal in the UK

[ImageLibrary##541484/Any]More of the UK's energy is now produced by renewable sources than coal.

Renewables produced more power than coal plants for full three month period for the first time, according to data released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. 

The government statistics reveal that over the second quarter of 2015 the total share of electricity generation that came from renewable sources increased to a record high of 25 percent.

Experts believe this is due to an increase in wind turbines and solar panels being installed over the past 12 months, as well as more favourable weather conditions.

But although on the surface these statistics appear to be promising, according to projections from the European Commision, the UK continues to be one of the lowest ranking countries in the European Union when it comes to the percentage of energy consumed that is produced by renewables.

In 2013 the UK produced 8,400,000 TOE's (tonne of oil equivalent) through renewables, compared to more than 33,680,000 in Germany, 17,377,000 in Spain and 23,073 in France.

[Quote##"If ministers want to see good statistics like we’ve had today continuing into the years ahead, they have to knuckle down, listen to the high level of public support we enjoy, and start making positive announcements."##Maria McCaffery, RnewablesUK##Id¬n9bd0##DisplayStyle¬1]Most of the UK's renewable energy is produced with biomass and waste systems (61.7 percent) and wind energy (29.1 percent), with hydropower and solar energy still lagging far behind several other countries in northern Europe.

The new data has also come at a time when the future of renewable energy funding in the UK is facing considerable uncertainty; there has been growing concern in recent months that the UK's renewable energy efforts are likely to be cut short after Conservative ministers called for subsidies to be redistributed.

RenewableUK’s chief executive Maria McCaffery told The Guardian: "We’ve had a series of disappointing announcements from ministers since May which unfortunately betray a lack of positive ambition at the heart of government."

Many hope that this most recent report could be instrumental in ensuring the government continues to pump finances and resources into the renewable energy mix. McCaffery said: "If ministers want to see good statistics like we’ve had today continuing into the years ahead, they have to knuckle down, listen to the high level of public support we enjoy, and start making positive announcements."

By: Becca Caddy,

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