United Kingdom
A rapid coal-to-clean transition driven by offshore wind
With the fastest fall in coal generation in the G20 and rapid growth in wind power, especially offshore wind, the UK is making progress towards its goal of a clean power sector by 2035.
In 2010, a third of the UK’s power was from coal. In 2022, it was just 2%. This fall in coal power was met by a staggering increase in wind, which generated a quarter of the UK’s power in 2022, alongside expanded solar power and a significant drop in electricity demand. The share of gas generation has declined in the same time period: accounting for 39% of the UK’s power in 2022, down from 46% in 2010.
The UK’s commitment to clean power by 2035 is on track for an advanced economy, according to the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions scenario. But given the UK’s historic responsibility for emissions, as well as the high costs of fossil fuel reliance, the UK could realistically pursue a path to decarbonise power even earlier, within the next decade.
Last updated: April 2023
Progress towards 1.5C power sector benchmarks
United Kingdom
2000–2040
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