Between 2022-2023, the UK’s capacity to produce renewable energy increased by 5.2%. However, the amount generated only increased by 0.3%, highlighting the gap between production capability and realised electricity.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published updated statistics on renewable electricity for all four nations in October 2024. This data offers relevant insights into trends on the renewable energy sector throughout the years and includes data on renewable electricity sites, installed capacity, and generation. This is published by local authority, region and country, by years, and by energy type.
Across the board, in 2023, photovoltaic energy, produced via solar panels, followed by onshore wind energy, had the highest numbers for sites, capacity (MW) and generation (MWh) overall. Within this, the local authority of Cornwall recorded the highest figures, 27,526 sites, 634.7 MW in capacity, and 563,436 MWh in generation. The local authorities of Somerset, Wiltshire, and Dorset closely followed. Conversely, the City of London, Isles of Scilly, Shetland Islands and Kensington and Chelsea are amongst those which registered lower numbers for photovoltaic electricity: 59, 80, 230 and 334 sites, 1, 0.31, 1.17 and 1.78 MW in capacity, and 842.26, 265.93, 922.36 and 1,496.2 MWh in generation, respectively.
Furthermore, most authorities have either zero or low numbers of anaerobic digestion, offshore wind, sewage and landfill gas, municipal solid waste, animal and plant biomass, or cofiring electricity sites. For these particular types of energy sources, this is a uniform trend, registered too with electricity capacity and generation.
In percentage terms, Scotland showed high levels of renewable electricity installed capacity and renewable electricity generation per household in 2023. This is highest in the Scottish local authorities of Highland, Dumfries and Galloway, Moray, and Argyll and Bute, which register rates higher than 15 sites per household, 4 MW in capacity per household and 3,000 MWh in generation per household. In England, Lancaster and East Suffolk, are also relevant. Regarding local authorities with lower percentages in all three categories (sites, capacity and generation), London stands out. Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Westminster are all within the top five of lowest rates for renewable electricity.
Ultimately, whilst Scotland predominates in percentage terms, England has the most renewable capacity and generation, with 88% of the UK’s bioenergy capacity, 85% of the solar PV capacity, and 75% of the offshore wind capacity.
About this map
The map below was created using our ‘Local Authority Districts 2024’ template, with data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The visualisation maps statistics on renewable electricity sites, capacity and generation both as a whole and on a percentage basis, accounting for the number of households in each local authority. As well as providing tabled data on renewable electricity by type.
To learn more about the situation in your area, double click on the map below.
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