The Government’s Energy Trends Report shows that the UK’s wind farms set new annual electricity generation records in 2022, generating enough power to meet the needs of 22.8 million homes.

The figures, published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, reveal that wind generated nearly a quarter of our electricity last year (24.6 per cent), up from 21 per cent in 2021 and an all-time annual high.

Offshore wind provided a record 13.8 per cent and onshore wind also generated a record annual amount of electricity at 10.8 per cent. The growth in offshore wind generation was driven by the addition of 3GW of new turbines in British waters last year, while just 318MW of new onshore wind was added, mainly due to planning barriers for onshore wind.

Renewables overall produced 41.4 per cent (134.8TWh) of electricity. Low carbon sources (renewables and nuclear) generated a record 56 per cent.

RenewableUK’s executive director of policy Ana Musat said: “These record-breaking statistics show that wind is playing the leading role in Britain’s modern clean energy mix, keeping homes and businesses powered up using our superb natural resources.”

As renewable energy rose, the record temperatures in 2022 and higher energy prices drove consumption down, with both domestic (household) and industrial demand falling to levels not seen for fifty years.

Oil and coal production hit record lows, with oil down nearly 30 per cent on 2019 the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Gas production was up on last year and at near pre-pandemic levels and all fuel imports from Russia decreased throughout the year and dropped to zero by December.

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