The United Kingdom’s electricity use has been declining since peaking at 357 terawatt-hours in 2005. In 2023, the UK's electricity consumption fell to its lowest level this century, at 266 terawatt-hours. Electricity consumption in the UK typically follows a seasonal trend, peaking in the winter months. How electricity-intensive is the UK? Despite the continual decline in electricity consumption, the UK remains one of the largest electricity consumers in the world. In terms of per capita electricity consumption, however, the UK pales in comparison to other European countries such as Norway, Germany, and France. In 2022, it registered an average of 4,813 kilowatt-hours per person. The race towards a clean power mix In 2010, gas and coal accounted for roughly 75 percent of the UK's power mix. Since then, alongside the EU Renewables Directive, the UK agreed and created its own National Renewable Energy Plan, to increase the use of renewable sources and decrease its fossil fuel dependence. In the past decade, the share of energy consumption in the UK attributable to renewable energy increased slightly, although it was still a small percentage out of the total in 2022.

The United Kingdom’s demand for electricity has been declining since 2005, standing at 316.52 terawatt-hours in 2023. Some factors for this decreasing are declining population growth in the country, energy efficiency regulations, energy-efficient lighting, and changing consumer habits. Domestic electricity consumption in the UK Households are the largest electricity end-users in the UK. In fact, domestic consumption is the only sector that registered year-over-year growth over the past few years, reaching roughly 100 terawatt-hours in 2022. Nevertheless, the average domestic electricity consumption varied from region to region. Consumption was highest in the East, South East, and South West of England, each registering an average of more than 3,600 kilowatt-hours per household. Declining electricity generation in the UK Keeping up with the decline in demand, electricity generation in the UK has also been decreasing. In 2023, approximately 293 terawatt-hours were produced, the lowest output in at least three decades. Although electricity generation has been declining, renewable generation has increased significantly. As of 2023, renewables accounted for the largest electricity generation capacity in the UK, and that capacity is forecast to more than double by 2050. By 2025, the use of coal is expected to have been completely phased out.

In the next two decades, natural gas and petroleum products are expected to be the main sources of final energy consumption in the United Kingdom. By 2040, natural gas demand is forecast to reach 43 million metric tons of oil equivalent, up from 36.3 in 2023. The final consumption of electricity in the UK is expected to grow by 50 percent between 2023 and 2040, whereas the final consumption of energy from renewable sources is forecast to grow until 2030 but then decrease.

Household electricity consumption in the UK has been annually declining for most of the century. Households in the United Kingdom used to consume over 100 terawatt-hours of electricity every year. However, in 2022, domestic electricity consumption dropped below 100 terawatt-hours and it amounted to approximately 92 terawatt-hours in 2023.

United Kingdom UK: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data was reported at 5,129.528 kWh in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5,409.630 kWh for 2013. United Kingdom UK: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data is updated yearly, averaging 5,082.440 kWh from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2014, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,270.984 kWh in 2005 and a record low of 2,412.137 kWh in 1960. United Kingdom UK: Electric Power Consumption: per Capita data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

The UK's direct use of energy from fossil fuels and other sources (nuclear, net imports, renewables, biofuels and waste and reallocated use of energy by industry (SIC 2007 section - 21 categories), 1990 to 2022.

Estimates of total final energy consumption by sector.

Energy consumption from domestic, transport and industrial source broken down by key energy type (coal, gas, petroleum products, manufactured fuels, renewables and electricity). Data is measured in Gwh

Ktoe - Kilotonnes of Oil Equivalent.
GWh - Gigawatt Hours.

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In the past decade, electricity consumption in the United Kingdom has been on the decline. Households have consistently ranked as the largest electricity final users in the country. In 2023, households in the UK consumed 93 terawatt-hours of electricity, or roughly 35 percent of the total consumption. Meanwhile, the industrial sector's consumption of electricity has fallen from 117 terawatt-hours in 2005 to 86 terawatt-hours in 2023.

The Modernising Energy Data Access (MEDA) competition was set up by Innovate UK and the Modernising Energy Data group to help develop the concept of a Common Data Architecture (CDA) for the Energy Sector. One of the main goals of the Common Data Architecture is to improve data sharing across the energy sector and make data more interoperable across organisations. Energy Consumption is one of the most sought after datasets needed by the organisations that we have worked with throughout a variety of the Modernising Energy Data projects, and although getting a household level of this information comes against GDPR challenges and is therefore non-accessible for the vast majority of organisations, breaking consumption down into smaller areas can be hugely beneficial for gaining insights into how energy is consumed within the UK. We have amalgamated Gas and Electricity consumption per Lower Layer Super Output Area (LSOA) which is available to download via file transfer, or via API

The UK's energy use by industry (SIC 2007 group - around 130 categories), source (for example, industrial and domestic combustion, aircraft, road transport and so on - around 80 categories) and fuel (for example, anthracite, peat, natural gas and so on - around 20 categories), 1990 to 2022.

United Kingdom UK: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data was reported at 80.712 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 82.634 % for 2014. United Kingdom UK: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 91.593 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 56 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.465 % in 1960 and a record low of 80.712 % in 2015. United Kingdom UK: Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Energy Production and Consumption. Fossil fuel comprises coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas products.; ; IEA Statistics © OECD/IEA 2014 (http://www.iea.org/stats/index.asp), subject to https://www.iea.org/t&c/termsandconditions/; Weighted average; Restricted use: Please contact the International Energy Agency for third-party use of these data.

The UK's reallocated energy use and energy intensity - the level of usage per unit of economic output, by industry (SIC 2007 group - around 130 categories), 1990 to 2022.

The consumption of electricity in the United Kingdom has fluctuated on an annual and seasonal basis throughout the period depicted, and indicated a general downward trend. Demand was consistently higher in the winter months, peaking each year in January or December. In April 2024, electricity consumption in the UK amounted to 22.7 terawatt-hours. Domestic users consume the most electricity Although the industrial sector's electricity demand was higher between 1990 and 2005, domestic consumers have since reclaimed their spot as the largest electricity end users in the UK. East and South East England were the regions with the highest domestic electricity consumption in Great Britain, with more than 3.7 megawatt-hours consumed per household in 2022. Declining electricity demand in the UK Electricity consumption in the UK has seen a mostly continual decrease since the turn of the century. After peaking at 357.2 terawatt hours in 2005, consumption has fallen below 300 terawatt hours in 2020. This is despite the UK's population growing by approximately seven million during this period. Projections on electricity consumption in the UK show that the decreasing trend will last until at least 2025.

United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Commercial: OF: Electricity data was reported at 1,498.880 TOE th in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,757.800 TOE th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Commercial: OF: Electricity data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,578.329 TOE th from Mar 1998 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 82 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,039.580 TOE th in Mar 2004 and a record low of 1,242.046 TOE th in Sep 1998. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Commercial: OF: Electricity data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.RB006: Energy Consumption: by Industrial Consuming Group.

United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Construction data was reported at 725.200 TOE th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 685.060 TOE th for 2016. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Construction data is updated yearly, averaging 726.190 TOE th from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,150.000 TOE th in 1992 and a record low of 528.150 TOE th in 2007. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Construction data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.RB007: Energy Consumption: by Industrial Consuming Group (Annual).

United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Miscellaneous: OF: Electricity data was reported at 0.000 TOE th in Jun 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 TOE th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Miscellaneous: OF: Electricity data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 TOE th from Mar 1998 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 82 observations. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Miscellaneous: OF: Electricity data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.RB006: Energy Consumption: by Industrial Consuming Group.

Forecast: Primary Energy Consumption Per Capita in the UK 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Chemicals data was reported at 3,524.340 TOE th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,292.310 TOE th for 2016. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Chemicals data is updated yearly, averaging 5,490.090 TOE th from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,627.740 TOE th in 2000 and a record low of 3,292.310 TOE th in 2016. United Kingdom Energy Consumption: Chemicals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.RB007: Energy Consumption: by Industrial Consuming Group (Annual).