Renewable load factors in the United Kingdom

In 2024, the load factor for solar in the United Kingdom was 9.6%, slightly less than the 10% seen in 2023 and continues the small downward trend in solar load factor seen in the past 7 years. This downward trend is possibly due to decreases in performance in older systems as they age.

For onshore wind, the 2024 load factor was 25.1%, a slight increase from the 24.2% achieved in 2023, though this is below the peak of 29.2% seem in 2015.

Offshore wind was again the best performer which a load factor of 36.6% in 2024, smaller than the 44.8% figure seen in 2023 and continues the downward trend since 2020. Given that offshore wind turbines have been dramatically increasing, one would expect the load factor to have increased in this period rather than decreased. This is likely due to a delay in connection to the National Grid.

Installed solar capacity in the United Kingdom was 17,844MW at the end of 2024, an increase of 1,606MW (9%) from 2023 and an additional 12,316MW (69%) from 2014. Onshore wind capacity in the United Kingdom stood at 16,230 MW at the end of 2024, an increase of 821MW (5%) from 2023 and 7,656MW (47.2%) in the past 10 years. Offshore wind reached 15,836MW of installed capacity in 2024, an increase of 1,171MW (7.4%) in that year and 11,335MW (71.6%) in the 10 years since 2024.

There has been a general trend downwards in solar performance for all regions in the United Kingdom. England and Wales saw an identical load factor of 9.6% in 2024, Scotland had a higher than average year with 9.4% and Northern Ireland it’s worst year with 8.2%. The long term trend is for England and Wales to have similar solar performance, with Northen Ireland being the worst performer and Scotland doing slightly better.

In 2024 installed solar capacity in England reached 14,222MW in England, an increase of 1,401MW (9.2%) and 10,347MW (67.8%) compared to 2024. Scotland reached 698MW of installed capacity, increasing by 88MW (12.6%) in 2024, up by 523MW (74.9%) from 2014. Wales had 1,518MW of solar capacity in 2024, increasing by 109MW (7.2%) from the previous year with an increase of 1,136MW (74.8%) since 2014. Northern Ireland had the least installed solar capacity with 372MW in 2024, an increase of 7MW (1.9%) in the year with 310 (83.4%) being installed in the past 10 years.

Between 2014 and 2019, there was little difference in load factor for onshore wind between the regions of the United Kingdom, however after 2019 there has been a greater variance in load factor. In 2024 the load factor for onshore wind in England was 25.3%, Scotland 25.6%, Wales 25.9% and Northern Ireland 20.9%.

The average load factor for the 5 years up to the end of 2024 in England was 26.1%, Scotland 25.3%, 28% in Wales and 25.3% in Northern Ireland. Wales has the most efficient onshore wind in the United Kingdom.

Only Scotland say any significant increase in installed onshore wind capacity in 2024, increasing by 765MW (7.4%) to 10,348MW in 2024, an increase of 5,268MW (50.9%) since 2014. England had 3,019MW of capacity in 2024, only increasing by 21MW (0.7%) in the year, up by 921MW (29.6%) from 2014. Wales had 1,302MW total by the end of 2024, only increasing by 2MW (0.1%) in 2024 with 694MW (53.3%) added in the previous 10 years. Onshore capacity stool at 1,471MW in Northern Ireland for 2024, with a small increase of 24MW (1.6%) with 774MW (52.6%) from 2014.

Offshore wind has continually has the highest load factors between wind and solar in the United Kingdom, in 2024 England achieved a load factor of 40.5%, Wales 30.2% and Scotland only 25.2%. The low load factor in Scottish offshore wind is likely due to new installed capacity not being connected to the grid.

Northern Ireland currently does not have any offshore wind capacity.

Installed offshore wind capacity in England remained virtually unchanged at 11,113MW, only increasing by 75MW (0.7%) in the year with 7,387MW (66.5%) being installed in the previous 10 years. Wales offshore wind capacity was 726MW by the end of 2024 with only 2MW (0.3%) being installed that year, an increase of 148MW (20.3%) in the previous decade. Scotland saw the most rapid expansion of offshore wind, reaching 3,997MW, an increase of 1,093MW (27.4%) in the year with 3,800 (95.1%) being installed from 2014.

Renewables in the United Kingdom see significant variation in performance during the year. Solar peaks in the summer months and wind achieving the best results in winter.

The best month for offshore wind in 2024 was January with a load factor of 54.5% followed by February with 50.5%. The worst performing months was May (21.7%) and July with 21.6%.

Onshore wind mirrors offshore wind closely with similar results for most months, interestingly there was greater divergence during the first 3 months of the year. Onshore wind had a peak load factor of 40.1% in December 2024 with the lowest month being May with 15.3%.

Solar peaked in June with a load factor of 18.3% and has by far the most variation throughout the year with only 1.9% in December 2024.