Executive Summary

• The percentage of the primary energy used to supply electricity to the UK being home-grown was at its highest share in more than 20 years, according to the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit
• 46% of the primary energy was imported in 2025, down from 48% in 2024, while fuel-free renewables accounted for 36.6% of UK supplies, up from 34.1% the year before
• While the grid requires continued investment, renewables are ‘already helping to insulate against and gradually unplug from the volatile global oil and gas system’, notes Dr Simon Cran-McGreehin

A new study from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found that the UK’s electricity supply has ‘become ever more British’ in the past year, with more than 53% of the primary energy used to supply electricity to the UK home-grown, at the highest share in more than 20 years.

Renewables which use no fuels generated 8% more power in 2025 than the previous year, with solar output rising the most by over a third (37%). Fuel-free renewables accounted for 36.6% of UK supplies in 2025, up from 34.1% the previous year.

“Many people won’t necessarily realise it, but the UK has made significant progress in shifting away from gas and towards renewables, boosting energy independence in the process,” commented Dr Simon Cran-McGreehin, head of analysis at the ECIU.

“The UK was particularly badly hurt by the last gas crisis because as a country we’ve been so dependent on gas for both generating electricity and heating homes,” Cran-McGreehin added. “As the current crisis shows, we’re not out of the woods yet, and the grid requires investment, but renewables already are helping to insulate against and gradually unplug from the volatile global oil and gas system.”

The analysis estimated that without renewables powered by UK wind, water, and sunshine, almost three quarters (73%) of the primary energy used for supplying UK electricity would have been imported last year.

“The point that many politicians neglect to mention… is that reaching net zero emissions is not only scientifically the only way to stop climate change, but it also means gradually detaching ourselves from burning oil and gas and the instability for bill payers and businesses that those markets have created,” added Cran-McGreehin.

“Combined with electric heat pumps replacing gas boilers and EVs taking the place of petrol and diesel cars, you can see a path to UK energy powering the economy and people’s homes better protected from these global shocks.”