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Data as of 2025
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Built 2026-09-19 (19 September 2026)

United Kingdom Electricity History, 1985 to 2025

The United Kingdom generated 298 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 295 TWh in 2025. The United Kingdom's electricity demand peaked at 407 TWh in 2005. The carbon intensity of the United Kingdom's electricity went from 694 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 222 gCO2/kWh in 2025. Figures are Ember annual statistics; Ember's series for United Kingdom starts in 1985.

Key Facts

  • The United Kingdom generated 298 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 295 TWh in 2025.
  • The United Kingdom's electricity demand peaked at 407 TWh in 2005.
  • The carbon intensity of the United Kingdom's electricity went from 694 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 222 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
  • The United Kingdom's lowest carbon intensity on record was 216 gCO2/kWh, in 2024.
  • Coal's share of the United Kingdom's electricity went from 59.4% in 1985 to 0.6% in 2025, the largest change of any source.

Generation and Demand

1985 to 2025, TWh
United Kingdom electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025 The United Kingdom generated 298 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 295 TWh in 2025. 0 125 250 375 500 198519901995200020052010201520202025
The United Kingdom generated 298 TWh of electricity in 1985 and 295 TWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025, TWh
United Kingdom electricity generation and demand, 1985 to 2025
YearGenerationDemand
1985298 TWh298 TWh
1986301 TWh301 TWh
1987302 TWh302 TWh
1988309 TWh309 TWh
1989315 TWh315 TWh
1990320 TWh332 TWh
1991323 TWh339 TWh
1992321 TWh338 TWh
1993323 TWh340 TWh
1994327 TWh343 TWh
1995337 TWh354 TWh
1996351 TWh368 TWh
1997351 TWh367 TWh
1998363 TWh375 TWh
1999368 TWh382 TWh
2000377 TWh391 TWh
2001385 TWh395 TWh
2002387 TWh396 TWh
2003398 TWh400 TWh
2004394 TWh401 TWh
2005398 TWh407 TWh
2006397 TWh405 TWh
2007397 TWh402 TWh
2008389 TWh400 TWh
2009377 TWh380 TWh
2010382 TWh385 TWh
2011368 TWh374 TWh
2012364 TWh376 TWh
2013358 TWh373 TWh
2014338 TWh359 TWh
2015339 TWh360 TWh
2016339 TWh357 TWh
2017338 TWh353 TWh
2018334 TWh353 TWh
2019327 TWh348 TWh
2020310 TWh324 TWh
2021308 TWh326 TWh
2022325 TWh326 TWh
2023293 TWh308 TWh
2024284 TWh306 TWh
2025295 TWh313 TWh

Carbon Intensity

gCO2 per kWh generated
United Kingdom carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025 The carbon intensity of the United Kingdom's electricity went from 694 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 222 gCO2/kWh in 2025. 0 200 400 600 800 198519901995200020052010201520202025
The carbon intensity of the United Kingdom's electricity went from 694 gCO2/kWh in 1985 to 222 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
Annual statistics through 2025
United Kingdom carbon intensity of electricity, 1985 to 2025
YearCarbon intensity
1985694 gCO2/kWh
1986721 gCO2/kWh
1987737 gCO2/kWh
1988710 gCO2/kWh
1989689 gCO2/kWh
1990705 gCO2/kWh
1991700 gCO2/kWh
1992665 gCO2/kWh
1993608 gCO2/kWh
1994589 gCO2/kWh
1995579 gCO2/kWh
1996557 gCO2/kWh
1997512 gCO2/kWh
1998510 gCO2/kWh
1999492 gCO2/kWh
2000522 gCO2/kWh
2001529 gCO2/kWh
2002521 gCO2/kWh
2003537 gCO2/kWh
2004536 gCO2/kWh
2005535 gCO2/kWh
2006559 gCO2/kWh
2007556 gCO2/kWh
2008554 gCO2/kWh
2009505 gCO2/kWh
2010517 gCO2/kWh
2011500 gCO2/kWh
2012537 gCO2/kWh
2013507 gCO2/kWh
2014463 gCO2/kWh
2015398 gCO2/kWh
2016333 gCO2/kWh
2017302 gCO2/kWh
2018286 gCO2/kWh
2019268 gCO2/kWh
2020243 gCO2/kWh
2021267 gCO2/kWh
2022255 gCO2/kWh
2023236 gCO2/kWh
2024216 gCO2/kWh
2025222 gCO2/kWh

Every Year

YearGenerationDemandNet importsCarbon intensityLow carbon share
2025 295 TWh 313 TWh 17.9 TWh 222 gCO2/kWh 63.8%
2024 284 TWh 306 TWh 22.3 TWh 216 gCO2/kWh 64.9%
2023 293 TWh 308 TWh 15.8 TWh 236 gCO2/kWh 60.3%
2022 325 TWh 326 TWh 1.10 TWh 255 gCO2/kWh 56.2%
2021 308 TWh 326 TWh 17.7 TWh 267 gCO2/kWh 54.8%
2020 310 TWh 324 TWh 14.2 TWh 243 gCO2/kWh 59.3%
2019 327 TWh 348 TWh 21.2 TWh 268 gCO2/kWh 53.8%
2018 334 TWh 353 TWh 19.1 TWh 286 gCO2/kWh 52.5%
2017 338 TWh 353 TWh 14.8 TWh 302 gCO2/kWh 50.0%
2016 339 TWh 357 TWh 17.8 TWh 333 gCO2/kWh 45.6%
2015 339 TWh 360 TWh 21.1 TWh 398 gCO2/kWh 45.4%
2014 338 TWh 359 TWh 20.5 TWh 463 gCO2/kWh 37.9%
2013 358 TWh 373 TWh 14.4 TWh 507 gCO2/kWh 34.6%
2012 364 TWh 376 TWh 11.9 TWh 537 gCO2/kWh 30.7%
2011 368 TWh 374 TWh 6.22 TWh 500 gCO2/kWh 28.3%
2010 382 TWh 385 TWh 2.66 TWh 517 gCO2/kWh 23.1%
2009 377 TWh 380 TWh 2.86 TWh 505 gCO2/kWh 25.0%
2008 389 TWh 400 TWh 11.0 TWh 554 gCO2/kWh 19.1%
2007 397 TWh 402 TWh 5.21 TWh 556 gCO2/kWh 20.8%
2006 397 TWh 405 TWh 7.52 TWh 559 gCO2/kWh 23.5%
2005 398 TWh 407 TWh 8.32 TWh 535 gCO2/kWh 24.7%
2004 394 TWh 401 TWh 7.49 TWh 536 gCO2/kWh 23.9%
2003 398 TWh 400 TWh 2.16 TWh 537 gCO2/kWh 25.0%
2002 387 TWh 396 TWh 8.41 TWh 521 gCO2/kWh 25.6%
2001 385 TWh 395 TWh 10.4 TWh 529 gCO2/kWh 25.9%
2000 377 TWh 391 TWh 14.2 TWh 522 gCO2/kWh 25.2%
1999 368 TWh 382 TWh 14.2 TWh 492 gCO2/kWh 28.5%
1998 363 TWh 375 TWh 12.7 TWh 510 gCO2/kWh 29.8%
1997 351 TWh 367 TWh 16.6 TWh 512 gCO2/kWh 30.0%
1996 351 TWh 368 TWh 16.8 TWh 557 gCO2/kWh 28.6%
1995 337 TWh 354 TWh 16.3 TWh 579 gCO2/kWh 28.3%
1994 327 TWh 343 TWh 16.9 TWh 589 gCO2/kWh 29.2%
1993 323 TWh 340 TWh 16.7 TWh 608 gCO2/kWh 29.4%
1992 321 TWh 338 TWh 16.7 TWh 665 gCO2/kWh 25.9%
1991 323 TWh 339 TWh 16.4 TWh 700 gCO2/kWh 23.5%
1990 320 TWh 332 TWh 11.9 TWh 705 gCO2/kWh 22.4%
1989 315 TWh 315 TWh n/a 689 gCO2/kWh 24.3%
1988 309 TWh 309 TWh n/a 710 gCO2/kWh 22.1%
1987 302 TWh 302 TWh n/a 737 gCO2/kWh 19.7%
1986 301 TWh 301 TWh n/a 721 gCO2/kWh 21.2%
1985 298 TWh 298 TWh n/a 694 gCO2/kWh 21.8%

Share of Generation by Source

Percent of total generation
YearCoalGasOther fossilNuclearHydroWindSolarBioenergy
20250.6%31.2%4.3%12.3%1.8%29.2%6.6%13.9%
20240.7%30.4%4.0%14.3%2.0%29.3%5.2%14.1%
20231.3%34.8%3.7%13.9%1.9%28.1%4.7%11.7%
20221.8%38.5%3.4%14.6%1.7%24.7%4.1%11.0%
20212.2%39.9%3.1%15.0%1.8%21.1%3.9%13.0%
20201.8%36.1%2.9%16.2%2.2%24.4%4.0%12.4%
20192.1%40.7%3.4%17.2%1.8%19.5%3.8%11.5%
20185.0%39.4%3.1%19.5%1.6%17.1%3.8%10.5%
20176.7%40.4%2.9%20.8%1.7%14.7%3.4%9.4%
20169.0%42.2%3.1%21.2%1.6%11.0%3.1%8.9%
201522.4%29.5%2.8%20.8%1.9%11.9%2.2%8.6%
201429.7%29.8%2.6%18.9%1.7%9.5%1.2%6.7%
201336.4%26.8%2.3%19.7%1.3%7.9%0.6%5.1%
201239.2%27.5%2.5%19.4%1.5%5.5%0.4%4.1%
201129.5%39.8%2.4%18.8%1.6%4.3%0.1%3.6%
201028.2%46.0%2.8%16.3%0.9%2.7%0.0%3.2%
200927.4%44.2%3.4%18.3%1.4%2.5%0.0%2.8%
200832.0%45.3%3.6%13.5%1.3%1.8%0.0%2.5%
200734.3%41.8%3.1%15.9%1.3%1.3%0.0%2.4%
200637.5%35.5%3.5%19.0%1.2%1.1%0.0%2.3%
200533.8%38.3%3.1%20.5%1.2%0.7%0.0%2.3%
200433.5%39.9%2.8%20.3%1.2%0.5%0.0%1.9%
200334.8%37.4%2.9%22.3%0.8%0.3%0.0%1.6%
200232.1%39.3%3.0%22.7%1.2%0.3%0.0%1.3%
200134.2%36.9%3.1%23.4%1.1%0.3%0.0%1.2%
200031.8%39.3%3.7%22.6%1.4%0.3%0.0%1.0%
199928.8%38.8%3.9%25.8%1.5%0.2%0.0%0.9%
199833.9%32.5%3.8%27.4%1.4%0.2%0.0%0.7%
199734.8%31.6%3.5%28.0%1.3%0.2%0.0%0.6%
199642.0%24.0%5.5%27.0%1.0%0.1%0.0%0.5%
199546.0%18.9%6.8%26.4%1.4%0.1%0.0%0.5%
199449.4%16.3%5.1%27.0%1.6%0.1%0.0%0.5%
199353.0%10.5%7.0%27.7%1.3%0.1%0.0%0.4%
199260.3%3.9%9.9%23.9%1.7%0.0%0.0%0.3%
199165.5%1.8%9.2%21.9%1.4%0.0%0.0%0.2%
199064.6%1.6%11.5%20.6%1.6%0.0%0.0%0.2%
198963.6%1.6%10.6%22.8%1.5%n/a0.0%0.0%
198865.9%1.6%10.5%20.6%1.6%n/a0.0%0.0%
198769.5%1.5%9.3%18.3%1.4%n/a0.0%0.0%
198666.9%0.6%11.3%19.6%1.6%n/a0.0%0.0%
198559.4%1.0%17.8%20.5%1.3%n/a0.0%0.0%

Source: Ember (ember-energy.org), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Data as of 2025.