UK total renewable electricity installed capacity
UK total renewable electricity installed capacity stood at 66,286.26 Megawatts in Q2 2026, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Renewables and gas supply table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2010 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Renewables and gas supply table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed capacity | |||||||||||
| Total renewable capacity | 66,286.26 | 65,854.83 | 65,306.66 | 64,570.72 | 63,598.53 | 62,638.74 | 62,026.28 | 60,811.97 | 60,010.05 | 58,578.8 | |
| Onshore wind | 16,833.07 | 16,613.86 | 16,430.69 | 16,363.58 | 16,316.28 | 16,154.27 | 16,199.27 | 16,122.47 | 15,655.36 | 15,561.72 |
Understanding UK total renewable electricity installed capacity
Aggregate maximum potential electrical output capacity across all operational renewable generation technologies throughout the United Kingdom is quantified by this metric. Summing the individual nameplate ratings of every participating technology tier, from wind and solar to bioenergy and hydro, it forms the ceiling of potential green electricity generation. Unlike the disaggregated sibling rows, which isolate specific generation methods, this aggregate measures the entire green fleet. Unregistered micro-generation arrays operating below statutory reporting thresholds are omitted until administrative updates capture them.
Evaluating this aggregate requires looking beyond immediate weather variations, as nameplate capacity measures theoretical maximum output rather than actual generation. Seasonal maintenance programmes can temporarily idle portions of the fleet, causing minor downward adjustments that do not reflect permanent decommissioning. Analysts should compare this cumulative figure against actual generation series to derive meaningful load factors rather than treating capacity as a direct proxy for delivered electricity. Revisions typically stem from delayed administrative notifications of new grid connections rather than retroactive recalculations of existing plant ratings.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this series measure the actual electricity generated by renewables?
- No, it measures maximum potential output capacity in megawatts, whereas generation metrics track actual electricity produced.
- Are domestic solar panels included in this aggregate total?
- Only installations registered with administrative schemes or central databases are captured within the official figures.
- Why might capacity increase while actual output decreases?
- Weather conditions such as low wind speeds or reduced sunlight can lower generation even as newly commissioned plants raise total installed capacity.