Renewable Energy

Solar, onshore wind and biomass add 4GW to UK generating capacity in 2016

June 9, 2017

UK renewable generation increased 4.2GW in 2016, according to latest government figures.

Solar PV capacity, much of it added in the first quarter of the year to beat subsidy cuts, was up by 2.4GW. A further 1.4GW of onshore wind was added to the mix while bioenergy increased 345MW, driven mainly by plant biomass (new straw-fired plants at Brigg and Snetterton).

The additions took installed UK renewable capacity to 34.7GW, an increase of 14 per cent.

Despite those gains, power generated by renewables fell slightly compared to 2015 due to lower wind speeds and reduced rainfall.

At the end of the year, renewables eligible for support via feed-in tariffs, which are added to electricity bills, stood at 6GW, an increase of 660MW or 12%. The vast majority of FiT support, 81% by capacity, is paid to solar PV.

See the data here.

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