Record renewables avoid £1bn of gas imports

Record wind and solar generation helped avoid the need for gas imports worth £1bn in March, according to new data.

Analysis by Carbon Brief found wind generation hit a new high for the month of March in Great Britain, up 38% year-on-year, while solar nearly matched the output of last year’s sunny spring.

Together, wind and solar generated 11 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, up by a combined 28%.

The record output from wind and solar saw electricity generation from gas falling 25% year-on-year in March to the lowest level ever recorded for the month.

Meanwhile, new figures released by the Government show that renewables generated 52.5% of the UK’s electricity in 2025, the second consecutive year in which they have exceeded 50%.

Tara Singh, chief executive of RenewableUK, said the figures demonstrate that renewables are now the “backbone of Britain’s power system”.

“With the next renewables auction opening in July - and more than twice the offshore wind capacity eligible compared to the last round - there’s a real opportunity to lock in cheaper, more secure power, and the Government should be ambitious on the budget and parameters for the upcoming auction,” she added.