National Statistics: Energy Trends and Prices statistical release: 30 August 2018

Energy production and consumption statistics are provided in total and by fuel, and provide an analysis of the latest 3 months data compared to the same period a year earlier. Energy price statistics cover domestic price indices, prices of road fuels and petroleum products and comparisons of international road fuel prices.

Energy production and consumption

Highlights for the 3 month period April to June 2018, compared to the same period a year earlier include:

  • Primary energy consumption in the UK on a fuel input basis rose by 0.6%, on a temperature adjusted basis consumption rose by 0.5%. (table ET 1.2)
  • Indigenous energy production down by 1.0%, with oil and renewables, particularly solar, output up but gas and nuclear output down. (table ET 1.1)
  • Electricity generation by Major Power Producers down 0.5%, with coal down 20% but gas up 0.2%. Renewables were up 7.7% boosted by record quarterly solar generation* (table ET 5.4)
  • Gas provided 47.7% of electricity generation by Major Power Producers, with nuclear at 25.3%, renewables at 25.1% and coal at 1.9%.* (table ET 5.4)
  • Low carbon share of electricity generation by Major Power Producers up 0.2 percentage points to 50.4%. * (table ET 5.4)

*Major Power Producers (MPPs) data published monthly, all generating companies data published quarterly.

Energy prices

Highlights for August 2018 compared to July 2018:

  • Petrol prices up 0.8 pence per litre on month, whilst diesel prices also up 0.8 pence per litre. (table QEP 4.1.1)

Contacts

Lead statistician Warren Evans, Tel 0300 068 5059

Press enquiries: Tel 020 7215 6140 / 020 7215 8931

Data periods

Statistics on monthly production and consumption of coal, electricity, gas, oil and total energy include data for the UK for the period up to the end of June 2018.

Statistics on average temperatures, wind speeds, sun hours and rainfall include data for the UK for the period up to the end of July 2018.

Statistics on energy prices include retail price data for the UK for July 2018, and petrol & diesel data for August 2018, with EU comparative data for July 2018.

Next release

The next release of provisional monthly energy statistics will take place on 27 September 2018.

Data tables

To access the data tables associated with this release please click on the relevant subject link(s) below. For further information please use the contact details provided.

Please note that the links below will always direct you to the latest data tables. If you are interested in historical data tables please contact BEIS (kevin.harris@beis.gov.uk)

Subject and table number Energy production and consumption, and weather data
Total Energy Contact: Kevin Harris, Tel: 0300 068 5041
ET 1.1 Indigenous production of primary fuels
ET 1.2 Inland energy consumption: primary fuel input basis
Coal Contact: Coal statistics, Tel: 0300 068 5050
ET 2.5 Coal production and foreign trade
ET 2.6 Coal consumption and coal stocks
Oil Contact: Nick Jesson, Tel: 0300 068 5346
ET 3.10 Indigenous production, refinery receipts, imports and exports
ET 3.11 Stocks of petroleum
ET 3.12 Refinery throughput and output of petroleum products
ET 3.13 Deliveries of petroleum products for inland consumption
Gas Contact: Ben Lucking, Tel: 0207 215 5010
ET 4.2 Natural gas production and supply
ET 4.3 Natural gas imports and exports
ET 4.4 Natural gas imports
Electricity Contact: Electricity statistics, Tel: 0207 215 1259
ET 5.3 Fuel used in electricity generation by major producers
ET 5.4 Electricity production and availability from the public supply system
ET 5.5 Availability and consumption of electricity
Weather Contact: Susan Lomas, Tel: 0300 068 5047
ET 7.1 Average temperatures and deviations from the long term mean
ET 7.2 Average wind speed and deviations from the long term mean
ET 7.3 Average daily sun hours and deviations from the long term mean
ET 7.4 Average monthly rainfall and deviations from the long term mean
Subject and table number Energy prices data
Domestic energy price indices Contact: Susan Lomas, Tel: 0300 068 5047
QEP 2.1.3 Retail prices index: fuels components monthly figures
Monthly and annual prices of road fuels and petroleum product Contact: Susan Lomas, Tel: 0300 068 5047
QEP 4.1.1 Typical retail prices of petroleum products and a crude oil price index (monthly data)
International road fuel prices Contact: Anwar Annut, Tel: 0300 068 5060
QEP 5.1.1 Premium unleaded petrol prices in the EU
QEP 5.2.1 Diesel prices in the EU



Speech: Launch of 2018 Business and Sustainability Programme in Chile

It is a special pleasure for me to welcome you here tonight. In my last position I was a Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales and I had a close relationship with Polly Courtice and the team at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The Prince is the Founding Patron of the Institute. I visited their centre and participated in events that they had organised in a number of countries around the world as part of HRH’s international travel programme.

Many of you will know that a priority aspect of our work in the Embassy is to promote initiatives in Chile aimed at combating climate change and delivering sustainable economic growth. Governments alone cannot tackle these challenges. All sectors of society need to work together. The private sector has a crucial role to play and your presence here this evening is evidence of your commitment. So thank you.

The pressure from society on businesses to demonstrate responsible environmental practices continues to increase. Leaders of major corporations worldwide are rising to the challenge – delivering profits for their shareholders whilst ensuring minimum negative impact on the environment. Indeed many recent studies have shown that, far from sustainability being a drain on resources, environmentally friendly businesses are outperforming others financially.

Both Chile and the UK need more business leaders to rise to this challenge.

For this reason, I am delighted that Recyclapolis has partnered up with the Institute to bring their Business and Sustainability Programme to Chile for a second year. Cambridge have been running the programme successfully for 20 years in the UK and internationally. It provides business leaders with the tools to insert sustainability in their future business strategies and to reconcile profitability with sustainability.

To implement this successfully in Chile, Recyclapolis needs your help and support. Your attendance here is the first step.

Thank you again for joining us this evening to learn more about the course. I hope you enjoy the event.




Speech: Launch of 2018 Business and Sustainability Programme in Chile

It is a special pleasure for me to welcome you here tonight. In my last position I was a Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales and I had a close relationship with Polly Courtice and the team at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The Prince is the Founding Patron of the Institute. I visited their centre and participated in events that they had organised in a number of countries around the world as part of HRH’s international travel programme.

Many of you will know that a priority aspect of our work in the Embassy is to promote initiatives in Chile aimed at combating climate change and delivering sustainable economic growth. Governments alone cannot tackle these challenges. All sectors of society need to work together. The private sector has a crucial role to play and your presence here this evening is evidence of your commitment. So thank you.

The pressure from society on businesses to demonstrate responsible environmental practices continues to increase. Leaders of major corporations worldwide are rising to the challenge – delivering profits for their shareholders whilst ensuring minimum negative impact on the environment. Indeed many recent studies have shown that, far from sustainability being a drain on resources, environmentally friendly businesses are outperforming others financially.

Both Chile and the UK need more business leaders to rise to this challenge.

For this reason, I am delighted that Recyclapolis has partnered up with the Institute to bring their Business and Sustainability Programme to Chile for a second year. Cambridge have been running the programme successfully for 20 years in the UK and internationally. It provides business leaders with the tools to insert sustainability in their future business strategies and to reconcile profitability with sustainability.

To implement this successfully in Chile, Recyclapolis needs your help and support. Your attendance here is the first step.

Thank you again for joining us this evening to learn more about the course. I hope you enjoy the event.




Press release: Official opening of Hexham flood defence

A new £65,000 flood embankment which protects homes in Hexham from flooding has been officially opened.

Storm Desmond saw flooding to 15 properties at Tyne Green, Hexham, on 5 December 2015.

Properties flooded as a result of water from the River Tyne flowing through an underpass beneath the Newcastle-Carlisle railway line near to Tyne Green Golf Course.

The Environment Agency prioritises delivery of new and improved flood defences using government funding over a rolling six year programme, to schemes which provide the greatest benefits to protect properties from flooding.

Due to the small number of properties that would benefit, against the cost of delivering a flood scheme at Tyne Green, the Environment Agency had been unable to deliver new flood defences in the area.

The new flood bank has been uniquely funded by residents who pooled individual government grants made available to them following flooding over the winter period of 2015/16.

The Environment Agency and Northumberland County Council worked closely with Tyne Green residents, Northumbrian Water and Network Rail to provide a creative solution.

The new bank was officially opened by local resident Joan McDonald – who contributed to the scheme – and Hexham MP Guy Opperman at an event on Tuesday 28 August.

Image shows partners on th enew flood bank
L-R Tyne Green resident Keith Hutton, Coun. Nick Oliver from Northumberland County Council, Hexham MP Guy Opperman and Environment Agency Area Director Oliver Harmar.

Real success for residents

MP Guy Opperman said:

This is great news! I am delighted that a pragmatic team effort has produced a real success for the Tyne Green residents. I want this collaborative working to be the prototype for future flood defence projects in Tynedale.

Tyne Green resident Keith Hutton added:

I am pleased to have been involved in this project alongside so many others, and on behalf of everyone, I would like to extend a huge thank you to Guy Opperman, our MP, for his steadfast support in getting all the agencies together, something we could not have done single-handedly.

Special credit should also go to Chris Hood, from the Environment Agency and Aaron McNeil from Northumberland County Council. They recognised the opportunity and worked hard alongside our community to deliver this scheme.

Finally, Network Rail and Northumbrian Water have been a huge support to this lengthy project and I think we all recognise that going forward, this flood defence, which has been funded in such a unique way, gives our community a real peace of mind.

The flood embankment, built by Breheny Civil Engineering, has been designed to protect against a flood event similar to that experienced by Tyne Green residents during Storm Desmond.

Thanks to residents

Chris Hood, Project Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

I’m delighted we’ve been able to build this flood defence which is great news for the residents of Tyne Green. I’d like to thank them for their continued support and patience while we worked with our partners to find the best and most cost-effective solution.

Councillor Glen Sanderson, Cabinet member for Environment and Local Services with Northumberland County Council, added:

This is another fine example of agencies working with local communities to find innovative solutions to improve their areas and prevent flooding events damaging their homes in the future.Storm Desmond had a massive impact on communities in Tynedale and this work should help provide peace of mind for the future.

The Environment Agency is urging people to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ by visiting the Floods Destroy website and do three things to prepare for flooding.

  • check your postcode and find out if you are at risk of flooding
  • sign-up for free flood warnings if you are at risk
  • view and save the 3-point flood plan so you know how to ‘Prepare, Act, Survive’ in a flood



National Statistics: Road fuel prices: 27 August 2018

Cost of unleaded petrol (ULSP) and unleaded diesel (ULSD) in the UK as at Monday 27 August 2018.