UK Energy Industry by the Numbers

September 28th, 2012 by Joshua S Hill

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change released their quarterly Energy Trends report on the statistics on energy in the country. The report includes tables, charts, and commentary covering all major aspects of energy.

Wind Turbine on Scout Moor, Lancashire.

The main points to come from the second quarter in the UK are as follows:

Indigenous production of fuels in the UK fell by 10.1% in the second quarter of 2012 compared with a year earlier. Oil production fell by 12.2% and natural gas production fell by 13.9% — these falls were due to maintenance activity and slowdowns on a number of fields.
Total primary energy consumption for energy uses rose by 6.3%. However, when adjusted to take account of weather differences between the second quarter of 2011 and the second quarter of 2012, primary energy consumption rose by 0.8%.
Final energy consumption rose by 5.1%, with domestic consumption up 32.8% — domestic consumption in the second quarter of 2011 was particularly low due to warmer weather last year.
Total deliveries of the key transport fuels were down 6.3% when compared to the same period last year. Motor spirit deliveries fell by 10.6%, with deliveries in April 2012 particularly low following a substantial increase in March 2012 in anticipation of a potential tanker drivers’ strike.
Of electricity generated in the second quarter of 2012, gas accounted for 29.8% (its lowest second quarter share in the last fourteen years) due to high gas prices, whilst coal accounted for 36.1% (its highest second quarter share in the last fourteen years).
Renewables’ share of electricity generation increased to 9.6% from the 9.0% share in the second quarter of 2011. Hydro generation decreased by 31.3% on the second quarter of 2011 as a result of low rainfall. Over the same period, offshore wind generation increased by 46.7%, whilst onshore wind generation fell by 11.4%. Overall, renewable generation was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter in 2011.
Domestic electricity prices, including VAT, were 5.5% higher in real terms than in the same period last year, whilst domestic gas prices were 13% higher.

The full report can be viewed at the DECC website here in PDF form, with articles covering topics such as:

Renewable electricity in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the regions of England in 2011.
Combined Heat and Power in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the regions of England in 2011.
Running hours during winter 2011/12 for plants opted-out of the Large Combustion Plant Directive (LCPD).
Estimates of heat use in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Home insulation levels in Great Britain — methodological changes.
Feed-in Tariff statistics.
National Grid operational metering data and renewables.
New Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) table.
Number of properties benefitting through receipt of insulation measures and energy efficiency products from Energy Supplier obligations.

Image Source: Gidzy on Flickr

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Tags: UK, UK Clean Energy, uk energy, uk energy mix, uk energy production

About the Author

Joshua S Hill I'm a Christian, a nerd, a geek, and I believe that we're pretty quickly directing planet-Earth into hell in a handbasket! I also write for Fantasy Book Review (.co.uk), and can be found writing articles for a variety of other sites. Check me out at about.me for more.