Share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of primary energy use by source was 35.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom stood at 35.0%.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom peaked at 41.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1966.
United Kingdom ranks 24th of 77 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.4% | — |
| 1966 | 0.4% | -3.0% |
| 1967 | 0.6% | +68.2% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | +117.7% |
| 1969 | 2.5% | +87.9% |
| 1970 | 4.6% | +86.9% |
| 1971 | 7.6% | +64.1% |
| 1972 | 10.7% | +39.8% |
| 1973 | 11.0% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 13.8% | +25.9% |
| 1975 | 15.4% | +11.2% |
| 1976 | 16.0% | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 16.7% | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 17.2% | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 18.0% | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 19.7% | +9.4% |
| 1981 | 20.5% | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 20.7% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 22.0% | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 22.6% | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 22.4% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 23.1% | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 21.7% | -6.0% |
| 1989 | 21.1% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 21.9% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 23.1% | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 23.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 26.0% | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 27.1% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 28.8% | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 32.0% | +11.0% |
| 1997 | 33.5% | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 34.6% | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 37.0% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 38.0% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 37.3% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 37.7% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 37.2% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 37.8% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 36.5% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 35.1% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 36.6% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 40.0% | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 35.4% | -11.3% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | -7.9% |
| 2013 | 32.4% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 36.5% | +12.5% |
| 2017 | 36.1% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 37.4% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 39.8% | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 41.1% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 37.8% | -7.9% |
| 2023 | 35.6% | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 34.8% | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 35.0% | +0.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 35.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 24.7%, 1.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 35.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.9%, 1.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +117.7% | 0.6% | 1.3% |
| 1969 | +87.9% | 1.3% | 2.5% |
| 1970 | +86.9% | 2.5% | 4.6% |
| 1967 | +68.2% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| 1971 | +64.1% | 4.6% | 7.6% |
| 1972 | +39.8% | 7.6% | 10.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.0% | 0.4% | 2.5% | 5 |
| 1970s | 13.1% | 4.6% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.5% | 19.7% | 23.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.7% | 21.9% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.2% | 35.1% | 38.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.1% | 31.7% | 40.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.3% | 34.8% | 41.1% | 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 share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom?
- Share of primary energy use by source in United Kingdom was 35.0% in 2025, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of primary energy use by source recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of primary energy use by source recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1966.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of primary energy use by source?
- United Kingdom ranks 24th out of 77 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of primary energy use by source rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); Smil (2017); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of primary energy use by source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured as a percentage of total energy supply.