Unusually calm and cloudy weather led to resurgence in fossil fuel use in 2021

By Joseph Day, Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Energy Informatics, University of Birmingham
Grant Wilson, Lecturer, Energy Informatics Group, Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham
Noah Godfrey, Energy Data Analyst - PhD in Modelling Flexibility in Future UK Energy Systems, University of Birmingham

Great Britain’s wind turbines and solar panels both saw a drop in their electrical output in 2021. It was the first drop since 2016 for wind, and the first ever for solar. Our research group tracks energy systems and has extensively studied the existing energy data landscape. This has given us a unique insight into the challenges of shifting away from fossil fuels to lower carbon alternatives. So what should we make of this underwhelming year?

In 2021, about…

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