Energy Transition Outlook 2019

5.23%

UK Energy Industry GDP Contribution (%) Despite significant falls in UK energy investment in the 1990s, oil and gas extraction has continued the sector’s strong contribution to GDP. With much of the required investment to reach net-zero focussed on the energy sector, expect significant growth here in respect to other industries. 3.18%

5.23%

3.18%

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2e) UK Greenhouse emissions are 43% lower than they were in 1990 (38% for CO2), due primarily to the switch from coal to gas, and renewables for electricity generation and the offshoring of energy intensive industry.

Net Energy Imported (Mtoe) Through the boom years of the North Sea oil and gas industry, the UK was a net exporter of energy; however, more recently it has relied on international exports, reaching 36% import dependency in 2018.

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

794.36

72.83

448.53

5.09

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

-51.50

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

Low-carbon Electricity Generation (TWh) Low-carbon electricity generation (largely renewables and nuclear) has increased significantly since the start of the decade. Nuclear outages and shutdowns of an ageing fleet increased reliance on gas in the power generation mix, a trend set to decline as offshore wind and solar PV increase share driven by climate policy.

Energy Ratio (Toe per £1m GDP) The relationship between energy consumption and economic activity has fallen steadily over the period of 1970–2018. This is primarily due to improved energy efficiency, a shift from energy intensive to service industry and improved domestic appliances.

117.24

190.55

64.94

94.69

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

2015

17