UK DECC publishes Q1 2016 energy statistics

The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change recently released first quarter 2016 energy statistics in its Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications, following provisional energy data for 2015 published in April.

Part of the June 2016 edition of Energy Trends includes a look at renewable energy statistics in 2015 published for the first time. According to the DECC, a full set of statistics will appear in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2016, set for publishing July 28.

According to the article on renewable energy in 2015, provisional calculations show that 8.3 percent of final energy consumption in 2015 came from renewable sources, up from 7.1 percent in 2014, as reported in the U.K. DECC’s release of June 2015 first quarter Energy Trends and Energy Prices publications. This is progress toward the U.K.’s 15 percent target under the 2009 EU Renewable Directive. Renewable electricity showed significant growth in its contribution (up 29 percent); renewable heating also increased (20 percent) during the year, although renewable transport contributions decreased (19 percent).

Highlighted in the report was that renewables’ share of electricity generation (hydro, wind and other renewables) increased from 22.8 percent in quarter one of 2015 to 25.1 percent in quarter one this year, an increase of 2.3 percentage points on 2015 quarter one, mostly reflecting increased capacity. Renewable electricity generated during the first quarter of this year was 23.2 terawatt hours (TWh), up 6.4 percent from Q1 2015.

Compared to 2015 quarter one, generation from bioenergy increased by 18 percent to 8.3 TWh, largely due to a third unit conversion at Drax’s power station, currently running at around 85 percent biomass, awaiting EU State Aid for full unit conversion.

Renewable electricity capacity was 31.3 gigawatts (GW) at the end of the first quarter of 2016, an increase of 12 percent (3.4 GW) than quarter one 2015, and a 2.6 percent raise (0.8 GW) on 2015 quarter four.

Liquid biofuels represented 2.9 percent of petrol and diesel consumed in road transport in the first quarter of 2016, the same was reported for the first quarter in 2015.

Total energy production in the first quarter of 2016 was 4.4 percent higher than the previous year at 33.3 million metric tons of oil equivalent. Production of bioenergy and waste was 9.8 percent higher compared to quarter one of 2015, with coal production falling 68 percent. On the consumption side, in comparison to the first quarter of 2015, domestic consumption decreased 3.4 percent, reflecting the warmer weather, compared to the same quarter a year earlier. The average temperature this year in the first quarter was 0.5 degrees Celsius warmer than Q1 2015, so on a temperature-corrected basis, final energy consumption was up 0.4 percent over the same period.

In addition to these publications, a number of others were also published on June 30, including, amongst others, National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework, 2016 analysis; Greenhouse gas emissions, Q1 2016; and Feed-in Tariff commissioned installations, May 2016. A list of the publications can be found on page three of the statistical press release, which can be accessed here.