UK bioenergy generation, capacity increase in Q2

Renewables accounted for a growing share of U.K. electricity generation during the second quarter of 2020. Generation from bioenergy was up nearly 10 percent during the period, according to data released by the U.K. government on Oct. 8.

Renewables accounted for 44.6 percent of U.K. electricity generation during the second quarter, up 9 percent from the same period of last year and the second highest share of renewable generation on record. Generation from renewables fell by 3.2 percent from the record-setting first quarter.

Total electricity generated from renewables in the second quarter was up by 3.1 terawatt hours (TWh), or 12 percent, when compared to the same period of last year, reaching 30.1 TWh.

Generation from bioenergy reached 9.9 TWh, up 9.7 percent when compared to the second quarter of 2019. The largest increase came from plant biomass, primarily wood pellets, which was up by 0.7 TWh, or 12 percent. Plant biomass accounted for 69 percent of total bioenergy.

Bioenergy had the largest share of renewable generation for the quarter, at 33.1 percent, followed by offshore wind at 26 percent, onshore wind at 20.2 percent, solar photovoltaics at 17.1 percent and hydro at 3.7 percent.

U.K. renewable energy capacity was at 48.5 gigawatts (GW) at the end of the second quarter, up 5.4 percent when compared to the same period of 2019, and up 1.1 percent from the first quarter of this year.

Bioenergy capacity increased by 3.1 percent to 7.9 GW, accounting for 16.2 percent of U.K. renewable generating capacity.