In 2022, the UK's energy import bill reached a record £110 billion while household bills averaged £3,549 annually. These figures anchor a year of significant transition, where renewable investment grew and overall emissions fell.
Key Takeaways
- Total UK primary energy consumption fell to 159 Mtoe in 2022, 1% down from 2021
- UK energy sector employed 424,000 people in 2022, 1.2% of workforce
- Electricity generation from fossil fuels was 98 TWh in 2023, 36% of total UK generation
- UK CO2 emissions from energy supply were 296 MtCO2 in 2022, down 8% from 2021
- In 2022, UK crude oil production averaged 0.9 million barrels per day, down 8.4% from 2021 due to field declines in the North Sea
- Total renewables generation hit 137 TWh in 2023, 43% of electricity supply
UK energy industry statistics show steady demand growth alongside improving efficiency across key sectors.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption24 stats
01
Total UK primary energy consumption fell to 159 Mtoe in 2022, 1% down from 2021
02
Final energy consumption by industry was 20 Mtoe in 2022, 18% of total
03
Household energy use totalled 38 Mtoe in 2022, up 5% due to cold weather
04
Transport sector consumed 43 Mtoe in 2022, 79% from oil products
05
Natural gas accounted for 32% of final energy consumption in 2022 at 45 Mtoe
06
Electricity final consumption was 33 Mtoe in 2022, 23% of total
07
UK petrol consumption was 11.5 million tonnes in 2022, down 4% post-COVID recovery
08
Diesel road fuel use reached 24 million tonnes in 2022, 90% for heavy goods
09
Jet kerosene consumption rebounded to 5.8 million tonnes in 2022
10
Heat demand in buildings was 130 TWh in 2022, 80% from gas boilers
11
Industrial energy intensity improved 2% in 2022 to 0.12 Mtoe per £m GVA
12
UK gas demand totalled 72 bcm in 2022, down 7% from 2021
13
Coal consumption for transformation was 10 Mtoe in 2022, mostly power
14
Renewable energy share of final consumption was 13% in 2022, up from 11%
15
Average household gas consumption was 11,500 kWh in 2022
16
Non-domestic electricity use averaged 2,800 MWh per site in 2022
17
Road transport energy use fell 2% to 40 Mtoe in 2022 despite EV growth
18
UK energy consumption per capita was 50 GJ in 2022, below EU average
19
Services sector energy demand was 15 Mtoe in 2022, 13% of total
20
Biofuel blending in transport reached 7.5% by energy in 2022
21
Heating oil use in off-grid homes was 1.8 Mtoe in 2022
22
Electricity use in transport grew 40% to 1 TWh in 2022 from EVs
23
Gas for non-energy uses like petrochemicals was 4 Mtoe in 2022
24
Total final energy consumption efficiency improved 1.5% in 2022
Interpretation
Consumption Interpretation
In 2022 the UK used slightly less energy overall, with homes freezing more and industry getting a bit more efficient, while transport still runs mainly on oil and gas stayed the biggest final fuel, yet rising renewables, better efficiency, and EV and biofuel progress suggest the direction is changing even if the pace is still a little too human to be heroic.
02 · Category
Economic20 stats
01
UK energy sector employed 424,000 people in 2022, 1.2% of workforce
02
Oil and gas sector GVA was £25 billion in 2022, 1% of UK GDP
03
Renewable energy investment reached £23 billion in 2022
04
UK energy import bill totalled £110 billion in 2022, record high
05
Household energy bills averaged £3,549 annually in 2023 under price cap
06
Offshore wind created 27,000 jobs by end-2023
07
Energy productivity rose 5% to £72 per kg oil equivalent in 2022
08
Net zero investment needed £30-50bn/year to 2050, per 2023 review
09
UK ETS auction revenues hit £6 billion in 2022 for low-carbon tech
10
Domestic energy suppliers market share: Big 6 at 70% in 2023
11
Gas wholesale price peaked at £4.5/therm in August 2022
12
Energy R&D spend was £1.2 billion public in 2022
13
North Sea oil/gas tax take was £2.5 billion in 2022/23
14
EV charging infrastructure investment £1bn by 2025 target, 2023 status
15
UK green finance bonds issued £15bn for energy projects in 2022
16
Energy company obligation delivered 250,000 measures in 2022/23
17
Great British Insulation Scheme funded 100,000 homes by 2023
18
Oil/gas decommissioning spend £1bn in 2022
19
Renewables export value £2.5bn in 2022 from tech/services
20
Household solar payback period averaged 7 years in 2023
Interpretation
Economic Interpretation
In 2022 and 2023 the UK energy story was a serious balancing act that poured money into renewables and net zero, boosted offshore wind jobs and energy productivity, yet still relied on a record 110 billion pound import bill and gas prices spiking to 4.5 pounds per therm, leaving households paying 3,549 pounds a year under the price cap and underscoring that hitting net zero will take roughly 30 to 50 billion pounds a year long after the press releases run out.
03 · Category
Electricity28 stats
01
Electricity generation from fossil fuels was 98 TWh in 2023, 36% of total UK generation
02
UK total electricity generation reached 318 TWh in 2023, up 2% from 2022 driven by renewables growth
03
Gas-fired power stations generated 126 TWh in 2023, accounting for 40% of electricity supply
04
Coal contributed just 3 TWh to UK electricity in 2023, down 85% from 2022
05
Nuclear output was 48 TWh in 2023, 15% of total generation despite station closures
06
Interconnector imports supplied 22 TWh net to UK grid in 2023, 7% of supply
07
Peak electricity demand was 52.5 GW on 31 December 2022 during cold snap
08
UK electricity consumption totalled 300 TWh in 2023, flat from previous year
09
Domestic sector used 84 TWh of electricity in 2023, 28% of total demand
10
Industrial electricity consumption was 79 TWh in 2023, down 3% amid energy crisis
11
National Grid ESO balanced 99.99% of half-hourly settlement periods in 2023
12
Installed electricity generation capacity was 90 GW at end-2023, up 5 GW from 2022
13
Wind generated 82 TWh in 2023, 26% of UK electricity
14
Solar PV output reached 13.9 TWh in 2023, record high up 20%
15
Hydroelectricity produced 5.2 TWh in 2023, stable contribution
16
Wholesale electricity price averaged £112/MWh in 2023, down from £207 in 2022
17
Pumped storage output was 2.6 TWh in 2023, aiding grid flexibility
18
Electricity transmission losses were 3.5% of generated output in 2023
19
UK grid frequency maintained within 49.5-50.5 Hz for 99.8% of 2023
20
Offshore wind capacity connected was 14 GW at end-2023
21
Onshore wind generated 23 TWh in 2023, 7% of total electricity
22
CCGT plants operated at 32% load factor in 2023
23
Electricity exports via interconnectors totalled 24 TWh in 2023
24
Smart meter installations reached 31 million electricity meters by end-2023, 67% of homes
25
Battery storage capacity grew to 3 GW by end-2023, up 50%
26
Demand-side response provided 2 GW flexibility in 2023 peaks
27
UK electricity network investment totalled £5.2 billion in 2023 by DNOs and TSOs
28
OCGT generation was 1.2 TWh in 2023, mainly for peaking
Interpretation
Electricity Interpretation
In 2023 the UK generated 318 TWh of electricity, mostly cleaner than fossil fuels though still not entirely, watched the grid stay steady at near-perfect precision while wholesale prices fell sharply, and kept building toward a renewables-led future as wind and solar broke records, coal nearly disappeared, and smart meters and storage quietly upgraded the nation’s ability to respond.
More related reading
04 · Category
Emissions21 stats
01
UK CO2 emissions from energy supply were 296 MtCO2 in 2022, down 8% from 2021
02
Total UK greenhouse gas emissions fell 5% to 417 MtCO2e in 2022
03
Energy sector CO2 intensity dropped to 140 gCO2/kWh in 2022 from 160 g/kWh
04
Transport emissions were 122 MtCO2 in 2022, 27% of national total
05
Power sector emissions halved to 45 MtCO2 in 2022 from coal phase-out
06
Buildings emitted 110 MtCO2 in 2022, mostly gas heating
07
UK methane emissions from oil/gas fell 15% to 2.5 MtCH4e in 2022
08
Industry CO2 output was 70 MtCO2 in 2022, down 4%
09
Net zero pathway projects 78% emissions cut by 2030 from 2020 levels
10
Carbon Capture and Storage captured 0 MtCO2 commercially in 2022, pilots only
11
UK ETS covered 35% of emissions in 2023, cap at 156 MtCO2
12
Road transport CO2 per vehicle-km improved 2% to 120 g/km in 2022
13
Electricity grid carbon intensity averaged 158 gCO2/kWh in 2022, lowest ever
14
F-gas emissions rose 3% to 15 MtCO2e in 2022 from refrigeration
15
Offshore oil/gas flaring emitted 1.2 MtCO2 in 2022, down 20%
16
UK peatland restoration to cut 10 MtCO2/year by 2050 targeted
17
Aviation emissions within UK were 9 MtCO2 in 2022, domestic flights
18
Hydrogen blending trials reduced CO2 by 2% in test networks 2022
19
UK emissions 47% below 1990 levels in 2022
20
NOx emissions from power plants fell 10% to 20 kt in 2022
21
SO2 from energy sector was 5 kt in 2022, near elimination
Interpretation
Emissions Interpretation
In 2022 the UK cut emissions in broadly sensible ways, with power decarbonising and grid intensity hitting a new low, yet stubborn hotspots like transport and gas heated buildings kept the job unfinished while carbon capture stayed stuck at pilots and the ETS still only covered about a third of emissions.
05 · Category
Fossil Fuels30 stats
01
In 2022, UK crude oil production averaged 0.9 million barrels per day, down 8.4% from 2021 due to field declines in the North Sea
02
UK natural gas production in 2022 was 27.4 billion cubic metres (bcm), representing a 22% decrease from 2021 amid maturing North Sea fields
03
The UK produced 34.1 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) from indigenous fossil fuels in 2022, accounting for 40% of primary energy supply
04
North Sea oil reserves remaining as of end-2022 were estimated at 2.5 billion barrels, sufficient for about 8 years at current production rates
05
UK gas imports via pipeline reached 50.7 bcm in 2022, primarily from Norway (46%)
06
LNG imports to the UK totalled 15.6 bcm in 2022, up 42% from 2021, mainly from the US and Qatar
07
Coal production in the UK was negligible in 2022 at under 0.1 Mtoe, with all coal for electricity imported
08
UK oil refinery throughput averaged 1.2 million barrels per day in 2022, processing 80% imported crude
09
Proven and probable oil reserves in the UKCS stood at 3.2 billion barrels at end-2022
10
Gas production from the East Irish Sea fields contributed 1.2 bcm in 2022, down 15% year-on-year
11
UK exported 11.5 bcm of natural gas in 2022, mostly to Europe via interconnectors
12
Coal imports for electricity generation were 5.2 million tonnes in 2022, up from 2021 due to gas price spikes
13
Brent crude oil price averaged $99per barrel in 2022, impacting UK fuel costs significantly
14
UK oil consumption was 1.6 million barrels per day in 2022, 70% met by imports
15
Natural gas storage capacity in the UK was 3.3 bcm at end-2022, with Rough facility providing 70%
16
UKCS decommissioning costs estimated at £50 billion over next 30 years as of 2022
17
Peak gas production day in 2022 was 380 million cubic metres on 7 September
18
UK coal mine output was 0.05 million tonnes in 2022, solely from opencast operations
19
Oil pipelines transported 45 million tonnes in 2022 across the UK network
20
Gas production peaked at 29.8 bcm in 2004, contrasting 2022's 27.4 bcm decline trajectory
21
UK imported 85% of its coal needs in 2022, totaling 14.8 million tonnes
22
Condensate production was 4.2 million tonnes in 2022 from North Sea fields
23
UK gas exports to Europe via BBL pipeline averaged 5 bcm annually pre-2022
24
Final UK coal-fired power station Ratcliffe-on-Soar closed in September 2024, ending 150 years of coal generation
25
UK oil exports were 0.4 million barrels per day in 2022, mainly to EU refineries
26
Ninian pipeline system carried 12 million tonnes of oil in 2022
27
UK gas consumption in power sector was 70 TWh in 2022, 35% of total gas use
28
Forties pipeline throughput was 22 million tonnes of crude in 2022
29
UKCS investment in exploration was £1.2 billion in 2022, down 10% from prior year
30
Total UK fossil fuel production share of energy mix was 39% in 2022
Interpretation
Fossil Fuels Interpretation
In 2022 the UK’s North Sea energy story was a steady decline and growing import dependence, with domestic fossil output slipping while the country leaned more on Norway-bound pipelines and rapidly rising LNG, and all the while taxpayers and operators faced big decommissioning bills, emptying reserves, and the added reality that coal became nearly extinct while prices and pipeline throughput quietly did the heavy lifting.
06 · Category
Renewables24 stats
01
Total renewables generation hit 137 TWh in 2023, 43% of electricity supply
02
Offshore wind generated 59 TWh in 2023, record 19% of UK electricity
03
Installed offshore wind capacity reached 14.7 GW by end-2023, up 1.4 GW
04
Onshore wind capacity was 15 GW at end-2023, generating 23 TWh annually
05
Solar PV installed capacity totalled 15.5 GW by end-2023, output 13.9 TWh
06
Biomass power generation was 36 TWh in 2023, 11% of renewables mix
07
UK bioenergy capacity was 6.2 GW at end-2023, including dedicated plants
08
Renewable electricity capacity grew 12% to 42 GW in 2023
09
Wave and tidal generation contributed 0.02 TWh in 2023, from pilot projects
10
UK has over 11,000 MW of consented onshore wind capacity awaiting construction as of 2023
11
Round 4 offshore wind leasing awarded 4 GW capacity in 2023 auctions
12
CfD scheme supported 7.7 GW renewables capacity by end-2023
13
UK solar deployment added 1.6 GW in 2023, largest annual increase
14
Anaerobic digestion biogas plants produced 7 TWh equivalent in 2023
15
Floating offshore wind pilots reached 30 MW operational in 2023
16
Green hydrogen projects funded £140 million in 2023 under £1bn cluster plan
17
UK has 1,200 MW of operational energy-from-waste capacity in 2023
18
Sewage gas generation was 1.5 TWh in 2023 from 300+ sites
19
Landfill gas plants generated 1.8 TWh electricity in 2023, declining trend
20
UK renewable heat incentive supported 150,000 installations by 2023
21
Onshore wind load factor averaged 27% in 2023, offshore 38%
22
Solar PV capacity factor was 11% in 2023, improved by bifacial tech
23
Biomass co-firing phased out completely in 2023 from coal conversions
24
UK renewable electricity share hit 47% in 2023, up from 41% in 2022
Interpretation
Renewables Interpretation
In 2023 the UK generated enough low carbon electricity to make renewables 47% of the mix, led by 137 TWh from wind and solar, while the build up of offshore wind capacity to 14.7 GW and new solar growth kept the future firmly on track, even as smaller technologies and legacy bioenergy sources quietly did the supporting work.
Reference
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APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Uk Energy Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-energy-industry-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Uk Energy Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uk-energy-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Uk Energy Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uk-energy-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
7 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level