Wind and solar energy generation plugging the gas hole

New figures from the government’s Energy Trends report on the first quarter of 2022 show that renewables are filling in where gas generation has fallen short. Renewable generation increased by 9.3 per cent on the same period last year due to increased capacity and more favourable weather conditions, particularly for wind and solar PV.

Gas remained the fuel with the highest generation, at 28.0 TWh, but it has decreased by 14 per cent compared to the same quarter in 2o21.

Commenting on the statistics, Jess Ralston, Senior Analyst at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said: “For every megawatt of renewable power this winter, that’s basically a megawatt less of gas power we have to source and pay for.

“This trend is only set to continue, with recently commissioned wind projects four times cheaper than current gas and new farms coming online every year. This will protect us from gas price shocks in the long term particularly as the North Sea is a declining basin and fracking is so unpopular with voters.”