Road to Zero Carbon in numbers
How has Britain's energy become greener over the years?
From the world's first public energy supply for street lights switching on in Surrey in 1881, to the latest zero carbon success stories of today, the facts and figures paint a compelling story about our country's journey from coal to clean.
Road to zero carbon statistics
More key insights
The share of zero carbon power sources in Britain’s electricity mix has grown from less than 20% in 2010 (versus over 75% from fossil fuels) to almost 50% in 2020 (with carbon sources contributing only 35%). Zero carbon power outstripped fossil fuel for the first time across a year in 2019.
Britain’s carbon intensity – the measure of CO2 emissions per unit of electricity consumed – has reduced by 66% since 2013, with 2020 being the greenest year on record. Note the step change in 2016 (as the decline in coal generation takes effect) and an all-time low in May 2020 (the greenest month on record).
The amount of electricity generated from wind in Britain increased by over 150% between 2016 and 2020, with power output from offshore wind alone seeing a similar increase. Wind met a quarter of our electricity demand in 2020, helping last year become the greenest on record.