While many hope for a white Christmas, some are aiming for a green Christmas – the NESO, for example, was hoping for the greenest Christmas yet – and they got it!
So, what are the stats?
Christmas Day 2024 gave us 40% of electricity generation from renewables – a massive jump from 1.7% renewable energy in 2009 (you have been busy!). December 25th, 2023, previously held the greenest crown with a carbon intensity of 30 million grams of CO2 – five times less emissions than the same day in 2018.
On the big day, 2025, the wind generated 53.3% of GB electricity, more than gas 13.4%, imports 13.3%, nuclear 13.3%, biomass 3.8%, solar 2.9%. 60% from renewables! More data here.
You’ve been busy
There’s been a substantial rise in solar capacity rising from 86MW in 2010 to 7,894MW in 2024*.
Electricity generation from solar has steadily increased, reaching 14.4 TWh in 2024, although it saw a slight decline of 1.9% compared to 2023 due to lower average sunlight hours. Notably, 2024 was the least sunny year since 2001.
Solar energy generation has increased more than tenfold since 2000, reflecting the UK’s commitment to expanding renewable energy sources.
An extra 2GW of wind and 3GW of solar came onto the network in 2025, taking Britain’s total renewables capacity to an historic high of 53GW.
2025 saw the electricity grid run at 97.7% zero carbon for the first time in history.
*Source: Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) and Central FITs register (CFR).
Statistics taken from UK Energy in Brief – download your copy here.
And did you know?
Despite cooking Christmas dinner being one of the most electricity intensive activities Christmas Day has the lowest energy consumption of any day in winter due to most businesses being closed. Also, up to a third of British households are now believed to cook Christmas dinner in the air fryer saving 25% of cooking time too.
Unlike other days of the year there is no tea-time peak on Christmas day, but demand does begin at 5am as lights go on to unwrap presents!
On-demand TV has helped to banish spikes in demand like in 1996, when the ‘Only Fools & Horses’ Christmas special saw a huge 1,340 MW spike in energy demand at 8pm Christmas Day.
Get a real-time breakdown of electricity generation sources and the carbon intensity of electricity in your region with the NESO app – download here.
