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GB grid nowLow-carbon62%Wind37.2%Solar0.0%Nuclear16.6%Gas16.7%Imports20.8%Carbon intensity81 g/kWh
Independent · UK · Since 2023

Britain’s power, explained

Solar, wind, heat, storage, hydrogen and nuclear: how they work, what they cost and what they mean for the UK.

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GB grid right now62%of Britain’s electricity is coming from low-carbon sources this half hourLive data

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Policy & markets newsPolicy & markets · UKEnergy smart data consultation: government plans legal right to share your energy dataThe Department for Energy Security and Net Zero opened a consultation on 14 October 2026 on a legal framework that would let energy consumers share their own data securely with authorised third parties. It runs until 8…
Homes & buildingsGovernment accepts CMA call to regulate the heating oil market for the first timeThe government has said it will accept the Competition and Markets Authority's recommendation to bring stronger regulation to the heating…Homes & buildingsGovernment proposes rising heat pump targets for boiler makers, up to 18% by 2030/31The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) opened a consultation on 12 October 2026 proposing four more years of rising heat…

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Peaceful hillside with lush greenery and a solar-paneled cabin by the water.
Homes & buildings

Off-grid living in the UK: can a typical home become energy-independent?

The short answer: yes for electricity, at a cost. Off-grid living in the UK is achievable for lights and appliances if you oversize your solar array and battery…

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Off-grid solar calculator

Size panels and a battery to run a UK home without the grid, month by month, and see the winter gap a generator or wood stove would have to fill.

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Electricity cost calculator

What an appliance or heater costs to run per hour, day, month and year at the current price cap rate.

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Best time to use electricity today

Live 48-hour forecast of the greenest hours on the GB grid, with the best window for your washing or car charging.

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Britain’s grid in numbers

Data →

Low-carbon share of GB electricityLast 24 hours

62%

Carbon intensityLast 24 hours

81gCO₂/kWh

Wind share of generationLast 24 hours

37%

30-day average carbon intensityLast 30 days

Range 31–247

115gCO₂/kWh

Great Britain, half-hourly to 17 Oct, 22:00 UK time. Source: NESO Carbon Intensity API. Live grid data →

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Most read explainers

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Blue swings in a sunny outdoor playground with sand and grass.
Emerging tech

Energy-generating playgrounds: turning fun into power

A lively nightclub with people dancing and enjoying music under colorful lights.
Emerging tech

Piezoelectric dance floors: can dancing power a club?

A modern canal lock system featuring safety buoys and lock gates on a sunny day.
Hydro & marine

Canal-based hydropower systems

Front view of the TU Delft Reactor Institute, Netherlands in daylight.
Nuclear

Small modular reactors (SMRs) in the energy transition

Close-up of a glass filled with sparkling water and ice cubes on a white background.
Emerging tech

Solar-powered ice makers: how off-grid ice and cold chains work

A detailed view of hot embers and burning firewood, creating a warm atmosphere.
Bioenergy

The evolution of biomass energy: from ancient fire to modern power stations

Orange train speeding on railway tracks in dense fog with speed sign visible.
Transport

Magnetic levitation trains: how maglev works and how much energy it uses

High-rise building with cranes in urban area against blue sky backdrop.
Storage & grid

Gravity energy storage: lifting weights to store power

Energy glossary

Plain-English definitions of the words in energy news and bills.

A–Z glossary
AlbedoThe share of incoming sunlight that a surface reflects, on a scale from 0 (absorbs everything) to 1 (reflects everything).Anaerobic digestionA process in which microbes break down organic material such as food waste, slurry and crops without oxygen, producing biogas and a fertiliser called digestate.Balancing MechanismThe real-time market the National Energy System Operator uses to pay generators, batteries and large users to change their output so supply matches demand every second.