Growing renewable generation leaves weather central to energy planning
Annual report tracks electricity generation, price spikes and supply interruptions
Wind and solar provided 38.2% of electricity generated for the UK grid between April 2025 and March 2026, according to the Royal Meteorological Society’s third annual energy-sector climate report. This compares with 33.3% in the previous report.
Low winds in October 2025 reduced wind generation, increasing reliance on gas-fired power. A January 2026 cold spell coincided with higher demand and reduced renewable generation; both episodes saw electricity price spikes. Named storms were associated with the largest weather-related supply interruptions.
Why this matters for policymakers
- System flexibility The findings support examining storage and demand flexibility alongside generation expansion.
- Weather intelligence Planning should test combined demand and generation pressures under adverse weather.
- Network resilience Storm-related interruptions warrant scrutiny of infrastructure protection and recovery arrangements.
Image: Illustrative photograph of wind turbines and solar panels at Upper Holton Wind and Solar Farm, not a site-specific finding from the report. Photograph: Geographer, CC BY-SA 2.0. Geographer, CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted to JPEG for display.