The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published its Energy Trends report for June 2020. That report covers energy use in the UK for the first quarter of 2020 and highlights a range of factors that have affected energy production, demand and use including increased output from several gas terminals, increased coal use in the run up to the closure of Fiddler’s Ferry power station and the effects of the pandemic on aviation and domestic energy consumption.
The effect of the pandemic and lock down restrictions has led to shifts in working patterns, transport use and energy consumption. Overall there appears to be positive trend towards more sustainable forms of energy with an increase in the proportion of energy from renewable energy, which accounted for 47% of electricity generated. Whether the increase in more sustainable renewable continues will be influenced by how we respond to both the pandemic and the longer term threat of climate change.
Headline figures:
| Production and generation | Change Q1 2020 v Q1 2019 |
|---|---|
| Total Energy Production | 1.80% |
| Oil Production | -5.40% |
| Natural Gass Production | 3.60% |
| Coal Production | -27% |
| Demand | Change Q1 2020 v Q1 2019 |
|---|---|
| Coal | 10% |
| Transport fuel | -5.30% |
| Aviation fuel | -14% |
| Gas | -4.60% |
| Generation and consumption | Change Q1 2020 vs Q2 2020 |
|---|---|
| Electricity generation | -0.80% |
| Total primary energy consumption | -0.90% |
| Final energy consumption | 0.70% |
| Electricity consumption | -1.80% |
| Domestic consumption | 4.50% |
| Source of Generation | Share of total generated |
|---|---|
| Fossil fuels | 35.40% |
| Coal | 3.80% |
| Gas | 31.40% |
| Low carbon | 51% |
| Renewables | 47% |
‘Energy Trends’ is a quarterly bulletin containing statistics on all major aspects of energy in the UK.