| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Demand | This is the total UK demand for electricity. This now includes solar power but does not include unmetered sources such as Small Generation wind power |
| Renewables | This is the percent of the energy produced from renewable (wind + solar + hydroelectric + biomass) |
| Coal | These stations burn coal to produce heat.This is used to heat water to produce steam which turns a steam turbine which drives a generator to produce electricity. There are currently 9 Coal power stations in the UK. The current Governments plan is to shutdown all coal stations by 2025. |
| Nuclear | These stations use a Uranium nuclear reaction to produce heat. This is used to heat water to produce steam which turns a steam turbine which drives a generator to produce electricity. The output from these is more constant than other power generation. Fluctations usually indicate maintenance, refuelling or problems. There are currently 8 Nuclear power stations in the UK. |
| Solar | There is no central recording of Solar Generation. This figure is an estimated figure which comes from Sheffield University. This value is now included in the Demand figure |
| Wind | This is the power from Wind Farms and does not include unmetered wind turbines. The output from this fluctuates with the wind. There are currently over 6500 wind turbines in wind farms |
| CCGT | Combined Cycle Gas Turbine - These use Natural Gas to power a Turbine which turns a Generator. A second system uses the heat to produce steam which is used to turn a turbine which powers a generator. There are 39 CCGT power stations in the UK. |
| Hydro | Hydroelectric - There are approximately 200 Hydroelectric stations in the UK. Most are situated in the Scottish and Welsh Mountain areas. |
| Oil | These stations burn oil to produce heat. This is used to heat water to produce steam which turns a steam turbine which drives a generator to produce electricity. Virtually all Oil stations have been decommissioned with just a small reserve remaining. |
| Biomass | Includes the burning of Wood, Food Residues and straw. This was included in 'other' before the 1/11/2017 |
| Pumped Hydro | Pumped Storage Hydroelectric - Pumped storage incorporates two reservoirs. At times of low demand, generally at night, electricity is used to pump water from the lower to the upper basin. This water is then released to create power at a time when demand, and therefore price, is high. There are currently 4 pumped storage stations in the UK. |
| OCGT | Open Cycle Gas Turbine - These use Natural Gas, Diesel or Gas oil to power a Turbine which powers a Generator. These are expensive to run so are only used when necessary. There is currently approximately 30 of these in the UK. |
| Other | This includes anything not included in the above |
| Key | Description |
|---|---|
| IC France | Interconnector to France - This is a link between between Folkestone (UK) and Sangatte (France). The 73 kilometres (45 mi) link is arranged as two fully independent 1,000 MW Bipoles, each operated at a DC voltage of ±270 kV. Cables are laid in pairs in four trenches so that the magnetic fields generated by the two conductors are largely cancelled. The landside parts of the link consist of 8 cables with lengths of 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) in England, and 6.35 kilometres (3.95 mi) in France. |
| IC France 2 | Interconnector to France - This is a link between between Portsmouth (UK) and Caen (France). The HVDC cable is 204-kilometre (127 mi) long, operating at +/-320kV, with a capacity to transmit 1,000 MW of power. |
| IC Ned | Interconnector to Netherlands - This is a link between Kent(UK) and Rotterdam (Netherlands). The 260 kilometre (160 mi) long bi-pole ±450 kV link consists of two HVDC cables, which are bundled together. The capacity of the cable is 1000 MW. The interconnector has two converter stations for connecting the link with the British and Dutch high-voltage electricity transmission systems. |
| IC Irl | Moyle Interconnector - This is a link between South Ayrshire in Scotland and County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It consists of two monopolar ±250 kV DC cables with a transmission capacity of 250 MW each. |
| IC Ew | East West Interconnector - This link connects converter stations at Rush North Beach, County Dublin, Ireland, and Barkby Beach in North Wales. The 261 kilometres (162 mi) interconnection uses ±200 kV HVDC Light cables with a capacity of 500 MW. |
| IC Nem | Belgium Interconnector - This link connects Richborough Energy Park in Kent (UK) to Zeebrugge, Belgium. The 140 kilometres (87 mi) has a capacity of 1000MW. |
| IC Nsl | North Sea link Interconnector - This link connects Kvilldal in Norway to Blyth in the UK. The cable is 730 km (450 miles) long, and has a capacity of 1400 MW. |
| IC Eleclink | ElecLink Interconnector - This link connects Peuplingues in France and Folkestone in the UK (with additional each side). The cable is 51-kilometre (32-mile), and has a capacity of 1000mw |
| IC Viking | Viking Interconnector - This link connects Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire, UK to Revsing in southern Jutland, Denmark. The cable is 765 kilometres (475 miles) long, and has a capacity of 1400mw |
| Notes about the figures and percentages |
|---|
| 1.The demand figure shown is the Demand Figure directly from Elexon + Solar figure from Sheffield University. |
| 2.Each fuel type output comes directly from Elexon with the exception of Solar which comes from Sheffield University. |
| 3.The Demand figure will not exactly equal the total of all the outputs. |
| 4.Percentages on Meters: these are calculated as a percentage of the demand figure (above 1.) - they are NOT calculated as percentage of the total of all the outputs. - This means the total of all the percentage will not equal 100%. |
| 5.Percentage Graphs: Show percentage of all the generation types added together. |
Although you are in no way obligated, some users have requested a way to support the project.
A big thank you goes out to all the donors who have already contributed.