The amount of electricity generated by gas and coal tumbled by 20% last year, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief.
The drop means the last time the UK used such little gas and coal was 1957, when the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney had just met for the first time.
Back then, the population was 51 million—compared with roughly 67 million now—and fossil fuels still supplied 97% of the UK’s electricity.
The nation’s electricity generation from fossil fuels then peaked at 303TWh in 2008, falling to 104TWh in 2023 – the same level as in 1957.
That’s why fossil fuels delivered a record low share of electricity in 2023 at 33%, the science and policy website said.
Renewables provided 43% of electricity last year, and nuclear 13%.
Carbon Brief attributed the fall from the peak to a rapid scale of wind power, as well as solar and contentious bioenergy, and a reduction in demand.
