UK gas-fired power gen soars as renewables falter

Combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants are currently delivering nearly 60% of the UK's power, data from Gridwatch shows.

Gas-fired power generation has surged in the UK in recent months, owing to weaker performance at wind and solar installations. The country's gas-fired stations are running at 24.24-GW capacity at present, meeting 59% of demand, according to the data. In contrast, only 35.7% of UK electricity was produced by burning gas last year.

Wind power generation is at only 0.98 GW at present, meeting 2% of demand, while solar output is at 0.26 GW, or 1%. A further 3.03 GW or 7% comes from biomass. In contrast, renewables provided for over 40% of demand in 2020.

Wind and solar have even been surpassed by coal, which is currently delivering 1.97 GW of power or 5% of demand. A further 6.13 GW, or 15%, comes from nuclear energy.

The rising use of gas in the UK comes against a backdrop of cripplingly high gas spot prices across Europe, caused by surging demand and supply constraints.