Primary energy use by source in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Primary energy use by source was 87.1 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
87.1 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 4.1%
World rank
6th
of 80 countries
All-time high
87.1 terawatt-hours
in 2025
All-time low
0 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Primary energy use by source in United Kingdom, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
In 2025, primary energy use by source in United Kingdom stood at 87.1 terawatt-hours. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 116.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary energy use by source in United Kingdom peaked at 87.1 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
United Kingdom ranks 6th of 80 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary energy use by source in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1967 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1968 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1969 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1970 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1971 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1972 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1973 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1974 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1975 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1976 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1977 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1978 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1979 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1980 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1981 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1982 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1983 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1984 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1985 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1986 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1987 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1988 | 0 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1989 | 0.009 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1990 | 0.009 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.009 terawatt-hours | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.033 terawatt-hours | +266.7% |
| 1993 | 0.217 terawatt-hours | +557.6% |
| 1994 | 0.344 terawatt-hours | +58.5% |
| 1995 | 0.392 terawatt-hours | +14.0% |
| 1996 | 0.488 terawatt-hours | +24.5% |
| 1997 | 0.667 terawatt-hours | +36.7% |
| 1998 | 0.877 terawatt-hours | +31.5% |
| 1999 | 0.85 terawatt-hours | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 0.946 terawatt-hours | +11.3% |
| 2001 | 0.965 terawatt-hours | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 1.26 terawatt-hours | +30.5% |
| 2003 | 1.29 terawatt-hours | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.94 terawatt-hours | +50.5% |
| 2005 | 2.91 terawatt-hours | +50.2% |
| 2006 | 4.24 terawatt-hours | +45.5% |
| 2007 | 5.27 terawatt-hours | +24.5% |
| 2008 | 7.1 terawatt-hours | +34.6% |
| 2009 | 9.28 terawatt-hours | +30.8% |
| 2010 | 10.29 terawatt-hours | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 15.96 terawatt-hours | +55.2% |
| 2012 | 19.85 terawatt-hours | +24.3% |
| 2013 | 28.4 terawatt-hours | +43.1% |
| 2014 | 31.96 terawatt-hours | +12.5% |
| 2015 | 40.27 terawatt-hours | +26.0% |
| 2016 | 37.16 terawatt-hours | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 49.64 terawatt-hours | +33.6% |
| 2018 | 56.91 terawatt-hours | +14.6% |
| 2019 | 63.83 terawatt-hours | +12.2% |
| 2020 | 75.62 terawatt-hours | +18.5% |
| 2021 | 64.92 terawatt-hours | -14.1% |
| 2022 | 80.21 terawatt-hours | +23.6% |
| 2023 | 82.15 terawatt-hours | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 83.63 terawatt-hours | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 87.1 terawatt-hours | +4.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 87.1 terawatt-hours is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.89 terawatt-hours, 22.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 87.1 terawatt-hours is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.18 terawatt-hours, 20.8× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary energy use by source in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +557.6% | 0.033 terawatt-hours | 0.217 terawatt-hours |
| 1992 | +266.7% | 0.009 terawatt-hours | 0.033 terawatt-hours |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0009 terawatt-hours | 0 terawatt-hours | 0.009 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3886 terawatt-hours | 0.009 terawatt-hours | 0.877 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.52 terawatt-hours | 0.946 terawatt-hours | 9.28 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.43 terawatt-hours | 10.29 terawatt-hours | 63.83 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.94 terawatt-hours | 64.92 terawatt-hours | 87.1 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
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 primary energy use by source in United Kingdom?
- Primary energy use by source in United Kingdom was 87.1 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest primary energy use by source recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 87.1 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest primary energy use by source recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does United Kingdom rank for primary energy use by source?
- United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary energy use by source rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 116.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Primary energy use by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours of total energy supply.