Conversion of sunlight to electricity via PV or concentrated solar power
In 2025, renewable energy has met all new electricity demand growth, with solar and wind leading. Fossil fuel generation has stabilized or declined, marking a shift towards clean energy. Experts see this as a turning point, with fossil share expected to drop further by 2035.
The UK government argues that a decentralised grid of wind, solar and storage strengthens national security by reducing reliance on large fossil fuel plants and vulnerable interconnectors, while stressing resilience against cyber and physical threats. Ministers point to Ukraine lessons and ongoing undersea-cable protections as proof of progress.
A wave of local and state actions is shaping the data-center boom. New rules aim to curb power use, water consumption and cost pressures, while critics warn of overreach and uneven economic impacts.
The system operator has offered grid connection dates to more than 700 shovel-ready clean energy projects, totaling about 37 gigawatts, as Britain advances its 2030 net-zero target. Reforms replace a bottleneck caused by speculative projects, with stricter criteria to connect and deliver faster deployment.