Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Electricity generation from fossil fuels was 104.01 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
104.01 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
26th
of 214 countries
All-time high
314.53 terawatt-hours
in 2008
All-time low
3.88 terawatt-hours
in 1920
Years of data
106
1920–2025
Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom, 1920–2025
Source: Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom is 104.01 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom peaked at 314.53 terawatt-hours in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.88 terawatt-hours, in 1920.
That places United Kingdom 26th out of 214 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 3.88 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1921 | 4.53 terawatt-hours | +16.8% |
| 1922 | 5.28 terawatt-hours | +16.4% |
| 1923 | 6.01 terawatt-hours | +13.9% |
| 1924 | 6.6 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1925 | 6.98 terawatt-hours | +5.6% |
| 1926 | 8.42 terawatt-hours | +20.7% |
| 1927 | 9.22 terawatt-hours | +9.4% |
| 1928 | 10.26 terawatt-hours | +11.4% |
| 1929 | 10.42 terawatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 1930 | 10.81 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1931 | 11.66 terawatt-hours | +7.9% |
| 1932 | 13 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 1933 | 14.79 terawatt-hours | +13.8% |
| 1934 | 16.76 terawatt-hours | +13.3% |
| 1935 | 19.37 terawatt-hours | +15.6% |
| 1936 | 21.9 terawatt-hours | +13.1% |
| 1937 | 23.16 terawatt-hours | +5.7% |
| 1938 | 25.14 terawatt-hours | +8.5% |
| 1939 | 27.67 terawatt-hours | +10.1% |
| 1940 | 31.2 terawatt-hours | +12.8% |
| 1941 | 34.18 terawatt-hours | +9.5% |
| 1942 | 35.23 terawatt-hours | +3.1% |
| 1943 | 36.79 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 1944 | 35.75 terawatt-hours | -2.8% |
| 1945 | 39.67 terawatt-hours | +11.0% |
| 1946 | 41.18 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1947 | 44.65 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1948 | 46.97 terawatt-hours | +5.2% |
| 1949 | 52.38 terawatt-hours | +11.5% |
| 1950 | 70.6 terawatt-hours | +34.8% |
| 1951 | 72.64 terawatt-hours | +2.9% |
| 1952 | 76.36 terawatt-hours | +5.1% |
| 1953 | 82.77 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1954 | 91.31 terawatt-hours | +10.3% |
| 1955 | 97.98 terawatt-hours | +7.3% |
| 1956 | 101.64 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 1957 | 109.26 terawatt-hours | +7.5% |
| 1958 | 116 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 1959 | 130.34 terawatt-hours | +12.4% |
| 1960 | 138.2 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 1961 | 151.41 terawatt-hours | +9.6% |
| 1962 | 162.58 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 1963 | 169.49 terawatt-hours | +4.2% |
| 1964 | 175.52 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 176.71 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 178.87 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 191.72 terawatt-hours | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 205.88 terawatt-hours | +7.4% |
| 1969 | 218.27 terawatt-hours | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 225.44 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 231.09 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 250.33 terawatt-hours | +8.3% |
| 1973 | 235.78 terawatt-hours | -5.8% |
| 1974 | 237.51 terawatt-hours | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 237.39 terawatt-hours | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 239.82 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 246.53 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 1978 | 257.51 terawatt-hours | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 244.07 terawatt-hours | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 235.62 terawatt-hours | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 224.38 terawatt-hours | -4.8% |
| 1982 | 222.92 terawatt-hours | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 224.66 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 231.78 terawatt-hours | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 228.37 terawatt-hours | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 234.34 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 240.72 terawatt-hours | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 236.54 terawatt-hours | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 234.33 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 248.27 terawatt-hours | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 247.1 terawatt-hours | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 237.92 terawatt-hours | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 228.04 terawatt-hours | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 231.3 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 241.78 terawatt-hours | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 250.51 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 245.34 terawatt-hours | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 254.57 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 263.4 terawatt-hours | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 282.09 terawatt-hours | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 285.14 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 288.27 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 298.83 terawatt-hours | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 299.78 terawatt-hours | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 299.8 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 303.72 terawatt-hours | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 314.1 terawatt-hours | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 314.53 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 282.42 terawatt-hours | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 293.74 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 263.79 terawatt-hours | -10.2% |
| 2012 | 252.22 terawatt-hours | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 234.46 terawatt-hours | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 209.82 terawatt-hours | -10.5% |
| 2015 | 185.17 terawatt-hours | -11.7% |
| 2016 | 184.44 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 168.99 terawatt-hours | -8.4% |
| 2018 | 158.56 terawatt-hours | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 151.27 terawatt-hours | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 126.43 terawatt-hours | -16.4% |
| 2021 | 139.31 terawatt-hours | +10.2% |
| 2022 | 142.12 terawatt-hours | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 116.26 terawatt-hours | -18.2% |
| 2024 | 99.65 terawatt-hours | -14.3% |
| 2025 | 104.01 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 104.01 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.3 terawatt-hours, 24.2× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 104.01 terawatt-hours is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.15 terawatt-hours, 12.8× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 7.16 terawatt-hours | 3.88 terawatt-hours | 10.42 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1930s | 18.43 terawatt-hours | 10.81 terawatt-hours | 27.67 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1940s | 39.8 terawatt-hours | 31.2 terawatt-hours | 52.38 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1950s | 94.89 terawatt-hours | 70.6 terawatt-hours | 130.34 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1960s | 176.86 terawatt-hours | 138.2 terawatt-hours | 218.27 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1970s | 240.54 terawatt-hours | 225.44 terawatt-hours | 257.51 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 231.36 terawatt-hours | 222.92 terawatt-hours | 240.72 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 244.82 terawatt-hours | 228.04 terawatt-hours | 263.4 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 296.87 terawatt-hours | 282.09 terawatt-hours | 314.53 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 210.25 terawatt-hours | 151.27 terawatt-hours | 293.74 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 121.3 terawatt-hours | 99.65 terawatt-hours | 142.12 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 23 United Arab Emirates 121.01 terawatt-hours compare
- 24 Poland 118.67 terawatt-hours compare
- 25 Kazakhstan 105.31 terawatt-hours compare
- 27 Bangladesh 101.19 terawatt-hours compare
- 28 Algeria 95.33 terawatt-hours compare
- 29 Philippines 94.42 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for United Kingdom
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 8.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom?
- Electricity generation from fossil fuels in United Kingdom was 104.01 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 314.53 terawatt-hours in 2008.
- What is the lowest electricity generation from fossil fuels recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.88 terawatt-hours in 1920.
- How does United Kingdom rank for electricity generation from fossil fuels?
- United Kingdom ranks 26th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electricity generation from fossil fuels rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Ember (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Electricity generation from fossil fuels. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 106 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Electricity generation from coal, oil, and gas, measured in terawatt-hours.