Last year, more electricity was produced in the UK through solar and wind sources than nuclear power stations, according to recent government statistics. 

This is the first occurrence of renewable energy produced from solar and wind overtaking energy generated by nuclear power.

Increase in Renewable Energy Production

Renewable energy accounted for 29 per cent of electricity generation in Britain, whereas nuclear sources contributed approximately 21 per cent.

The official figures released by the government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy confirm a record-breaking high for generation of wind energy, which contributed 15 per cent of Britain's overall electricity supply in 2017.

Renewable energy generation has risen by almost a fifth thanks to higher wind speeds and increased capacity, and output is now almost ten times larger than coal, which is a great achievement considering the output from coal was the highest of the two merely five years ago.

Renewable Energy Strategy

Low-carbon energy sources, such as nuclear and renewables, are now responsible for more than half of Britain's electricity. 

Wind power was particularly successful in generating electricity this year, which has bolstered the argument for overturning the government's current ban on wind-power subsidies.

This marks the UK's move to a renewable-led smart energy system for the future. It is thought these trends in energy will continue to grow into the next decade as new generations of offshore wind turbines begin producing energy and demonstrate their ability in meeting the bulk of Britain's energy demands.

The low price of renewable sources has allowed low-carbon energy to overtake gas and coal as an energy source.

Greenhouse gas emissions also decreased in 2017 by three per cent across Britain, primarily due to a reduction in coal use.