Sharp Decline in UK Energy Consumption Amid Rising Prices

Friday, 01 September 2023

The UK witnessed a marked 6.3% reduction in primary energy consumption during Q2 2023, as per the latest government statistics. This downturn, evaluated on a fuel input basis, underscores a notable shift in energy consumption patterns compared to the same timeframe in the previous year.

Central to this decline is the influence of escalating energy prices among other factors. When adjusted for temperature variations, the decrease in energy consumption is even more significant, standing at 7.2%.

The report further indicates that the UK's energy production experienced a 10% drop during this quarter. This reduction spanned across all energy sources, with the exception of bioenergy and solar. Notably, electricity generation by major power producers saw a substantial 22% dip. Breaking down this figure, coal, gas, nuclear, and renewables reported declines of 47%, 26%, 22%, and 15% respectively.

In terms of electricity generation contributions, gas remained the predominant source, accounting for 43.9%. Renewables followed with a 35.8% share, and nuclear energy contributed 19%.