UK's renewable energy production grew by 12.1% in 2017

According to the United Kingdom Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), primary energy production in the United Kingdom remained stable in 2017 (+0.1% to 125 Mtoe). Oil production declined by 1.7% despite strong NGLs output (+11%, while crude oil production fell by 2.6%), due to the closure of the Forties Pipeline System for maintenance in December 2017. Oil imports rose by 9.7%, while exports grew by 10.5% in 2017. Gas production increased slightly by 0.6%, reducing imports by 1.8% (higher decrease for LNG imports) and raising gas exports by 9.6%. Oil and gas accounted for 41% and 32% of the 2017 primary energy production in 2017, respectively.



Meanwhile, the renewable energy production soared by 12% in 2017, with a bioenergy output increase of 5.7% and an increase in solar, hydro and wind power output by 27% (higher wind and solar capacity). Nuclear production contracted by 1.9% due to outages in the fourth quarter of the year, while domestic coal production fell by 27% to a new record low: overall, the total coal production in the United Kingdom has declined by 76% in the last five years.



In 2017, the British primary energy consumption went down by 1.3% (-0.3% on a temperature adjusted basis). Higher renewable power generation reduced the consumption of oil and gas (-2.4%), of nuclear and net electricity imports. As the GDP grew by 1.8%, the energy intensity (energy consumption per unit of economic output) decreased by around 2% in 2017; it has been contracting by 3%/year since 2000.



As for the power market, gas accounted for 45% of the produced electricity (47% in 2016), coal for 7.8% (10.5% in 2016), nuclear for 24% (as in 2016) and renewable energies for 23% (19% in 2016). Low carbon power generation covered 47% of supply (42.5% in 2016).