As the UK’s top solar installer, we’re on a mission to help more homes harness the power of renewable energy. We do this by travelling the country and installing advanced solar panel systems on residential and commercial properties.
But our mission doesn’t end there. We’re equally committed to raising awareness about the renewable energy industry in general: is green energy expensive to fund? How much of it do we use compared to fossil fuels, and could solar be the key to saving our planet?
It would be impossible to answer such big questions without reports from the UK government itself. Today, Project Solar is here to put things straight. When we compare fossil fuels and green power, what are the facts?
What’s the difference between renewable energy and fossil fuels?
The true difference between renewable and fossil fuels is how long they last.
What are fossil fuels?
Coal, oil, and natural gas are made from the decomposed remains of ancient plants and animals that have been subject to extreme heat for millions of years. These fossil fuels are a finite resource: once depleted, they can’t be replaced within a human timescale.
Burning fossil fuels for power releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NO₂) and harmful particulate matter. The chemicals released by their extraction have many consequences, both for the health of our population and the wider ecosystem.
What are renewable energy sources?
Renewable energy sources, however, are infinite: they are replenishable because they come from naturally occurring sources like the wind (eolic energy), the sun (solar energy), and water (hydropower).
The abundance of these sources means that we have a continuous supply of energy right at our fingertips!
Slowly but surely, the UK government has been replacing more of the country’s energy mix with renewables. As of December 2024, renewables now account for 45% of electricity generation!
How much do fossil fuels and renewable energy cost?
The cost dynamics between renewable energy sources and fossil fuels have shifted in recent years, with renewables (particularly solar power!) becoming more cost-effective.
What is the Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE)?
The LCOE is a method the UK government uses to measure the cost of producing electricity over a power source’s entire lifetime. It includes everything from building the machinery to keeping it running.
Recent data collected in 2023 indicates that the LCOE for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations has significantly decreased. But why? Thanks to technological advancements, solar power is now one of the most affordable electricity sources in the UK.
Breakthroughs in production techniques have reduced the amount of raw materials needed to produce solar systems, which means they’re more accessible to consumers.
As the demand for these systems has grown, so have production scales! Now, large manufacturing facilities can produce solar panels using fewer materials and cheaper labour costs.
Unsurprisingly, the LCOE for natural gas-fired power plants is higher compared to renewable energy sources like solar and wind. This difference is because the UK electricity market uses a system where the most expensive electricity generator sets the market price.
Since fossil fuel generators, like gas-fired plants, cost more to operate (and comprise 51% of our electricity mix), they can drive up prices and affect the cost of electricity as a whole.
Plus, natural gas prices can also be subject to sudden changes (severe weather events and storage capabilities can cause hikes in electricity prices for millions of UK homes). Renewables offer a stable, more cost-effective alternative.
The UK’s energy landscape is always changing, and as the cost of renewables falls, we can expect to see a greater percentage of our electricity mix coming from green sources.
How much renewable energy and fossil fuels do we use?
Traditionally, the UK’s energy consumption was dominated by fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas.
In the 1970s, 91% of the UK’s energy mix came from oil and coal! However, over the past few decades, there has been a concerted effort to replace carbon-intensive sources with cleaner alternatives.
As of 2022, fossil fuels still constituted 81% of the UK’s energy consumption, but the share of renewable energy sources has been steadily increasing. Renewables accounted for 13.9% of total energy use in 2022, a significant rise from just 0.7% in 1990!
The transformation is even more pronounced in the electricity generation sector. In 2024, renewables, including wind, solar, hydro, and biomass, supplied 45% of the UK’s electricity, while fossil fuels’ contribution dropped to 29% (the lowest since 1955!)
Will you join the solar takeover?
In 2024, renewable energy sources (wind, solar, and hydropower) generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the UK for the first time. Renewables accounted for approximately 37% of the electricity mix, compared to 35% from fossil fuels.
If the UK government is to achieve nearly 100% clean power by 2030, we’ll need to continue expanding our solar energy capacity. For homes and businesses, this may include investing in solar panels.
We’ve already helped 45,000 homes make the switch to renewable energy! You can contribute to the solar revolution today with Project Solar’s advanced technology. If you want to learn more, contact us today.