2025 Electricity Review
Analysis of GB electricity generation, demand, and carbon intensity for 2025 compared with 2024.
Last updated: 13/01/2026, 18:44:04
Avg Generation
33.0 GW
3.0%vs 2024
Carbon Intensity
128.4 gCO₂eq/kWh
1.6%vs 2024
Avg Demand
32.6 GW
2.8%vs 2024
Renewables Share
37.3%
+1.6ppvs 2024
Fossil Fuels Share
26.8%
+0.4ppvs 2024
Key Insights
- Electricity demand rose by nearly 3% in 2025, extending a second year of growth and reinforcing signs that overall electricity use is rising as heat and transport sectors continue to electrify.
- Renewables excluding biomass supplied 37.3% of Great Britain’s electricity in 2025, reaching a new high driven mainly by stronger solar output rather than a major increase in wind generation.
- Solar generation was up 32% and reached 18.5 TWh (6.4% of supply), setting multiple new records including periods where solar alone provided over 40% of national electricity.
- Wind remained the largest source at almost 30% of generation, setting new records, though year-on-year growth was more limited than solar.
- Despite record renewable output and the end of coal generation, average carbon intensity rose slightly to 128 gCO₂e/kWh due to higher gas use and lower nuclear output.
- Gas-fired power supplied more than a quarter of electricity in 2025, highlighting its ongoing role in balancing demand during periods of low renewable generation.
2025 Generation, Carbon Intensity & Demand
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Generation Comparison
2025 vs 2024 yearly averages by source
| Source | 2025 Avg (GW) | 2024 Avg (GW) | Change | % Change | 2025 % | 2024 % | % Point Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind | 9.799 | 9.409 | +0.390 | +4.1% | 29.7% | 29.4% | +0.3pp |
Solar | 2.113 | 1.601 | +0.512 | +32.0% | 6.4% | 5.0% | +1.4pp |
Hydro | 0.384 | 0.408 | -0.024 | -5.9% | 1.2% | 1.3% | -0.1pp |
Biomass | 2.275 | 2.142 | +0.133 | +6.2% | 6.9% | 6.7% | +0.2pp |
Nuclear | 3.899 | 4.368 | -0.469 | -10.7% | 11.8% | 13.7% | -1.9pp |
Pumped Storage | 0.150 | 0.214 | -0.064 | -29.9% | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2pp |
Imports | 4.988 | 5.014 | -0.026 | -0.5% | 15.1% | 15.7% | -0.6pp |
Misc | 0.533 | 0.380 | +0.153 | +40.3% | 1.6% | 1.2% | +0.4pp |
Gas | 8.823 | 8.274 | +0.549 | +6.6% | 26.8% | 25.9% | +0.9pp |
Coal | N/A | 0.179 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.6% | N/A |
Monthly Comparison
2025 vs 2024 monthly averages - key metrics
| Month | 2025 Gen (GW) | 2024 Gen (GW) | Gen Change | 2025 Carbon (gCO₂eq/kWh) | 2024 Carbon (gCO₂eq/kWh) | Carbon Change | 2025 Renew % | 2024 Renew % | Renew Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38.186 | 37.027 | +1.159 | 166.3 | 166.7 | -0.4 | 29.9% | 36.0% | -6.1pp |
| February | 37.813 | 34.502 | +3.311 | 146.5 | 130.8 | +15.6 | 35.3% | 38.5% | -3.2pp |
| March | 34.121 | 33.312 | +0.808 | 141.6 | 127.3 | +14.3 | 34.2% | 37.8% | -3.6pp |
| April | 30.532 | 32.192 | -1.660 | 127.4 | 92.1 | +35.4 | 33.8% | 42.5% | -8.8pp |
| May | 29.433 | 28.849 | +0.584 | 99.4 | 122.7 | -23.4 | 39.2% | 28.2% | +11.1pp |
| June | 30.373 | 28.909 | +1.464 | 90.9 | 98.8 | -7.9 | 43.9% | 35.2% | +8.8pp |
| July | 29.572 | 28.578 | +0.993 | 122.9 | 114.9 | +7.9 | 30.7% | 30.7% | -0.1pp |
| August | 29.030 | 29.034 | -0.004 | 117.3 | 85.1 | +32.2 | 37.0% | 41.1% | -4.0pp |
| September | 30.793 | 29.597 | +1.197 | 107.3 | 121.3 | -14.1 | 43.9% | 32.5% | +11.4pp |
| October | 32.857 | 31.391 | +1.467 | 141.8 | 136.1 | +5.7 | 38.7% | 35.1% | +3.6pp |
| November | 36.667 | 35.060 | +1.607 | 133.1 | 169.2 | -36.1 | 40.9% | 28.5% | +12.4pp |
| December | 36.554 | 35.528 | +1.025 | 123.0 | 125.0 | -2.0 | 41.2% | 41.0% | +0.2pp |
Records Broken in 2025
Generation Records
Solar4 records
Wind3 records
Biomass2 records
Imports2 records
Misc1 record
Peak Period Mw
3.187 GWon 16 Dec 2025 17:30 - 18:00
Carbon Intensity Records
No carbon intensity records broken in 2025