Renewable electricity generation droops by 1% in face of heavy rain and low-wind speeds last year

Renewable electricity generation last year fell by 1% compared to 2015 –  from 83.6 TWh to 82.8 TWh.

A 13.7% increase in capacity over the year was out-weighed by low wind speeds and rainfall following a very wet and windy 2015.

However, 2016 was still the second highest year ever for renewable electricity generation according to provision annual statistics from the Dept. of Business and Energy (D-BEIS).

Renewables’ share of electricity generation was 24.4 per cent, a fall of 0.2 percentage points on the record 24.6 per cent in 2015, reflecting lower renewable generation, despite slightly lower overall electricity generation.

In 2016, on the 2009 Renewable Energy Directive basis, normalised renewable generation (accounting for variable weather) was a record 24.3 per cent of gross electricity consumption, an increase of 2.0 percentage points on 2015’s share.

Renewable electricity capacity was 34.7 GW at the end of 2016, a 13.7 per cent increase (4.2 GW) on a year earlier, largely due to increased solar PV and onshore wind capacity.