Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in Northern Ireland: Year Ending June 2019

A report detailing the percentage of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland generated from renewable sources has been published.

The ‘Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation in Northern Ireland: Year ending June 2019’ report details the percentage of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland generated from renewable sources and includes information on the type of renewable generation used.

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The report reflects performance against the 2011-15 Programme for Government target which was to “Encourage achievement of 20% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2015” and the Executive’s 2010-20 Strategic Energy Framework which includes a target to achieve 40% of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020.

Main results: 

• For the 12 month period July 2018 to June 2019, 44.0% of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland was generated from renewable sources located in Northern Ireland. This represents an increase of 7.4 percentage points on the previous 12 month period (July 2017 to June 2018) and is the highest rolling 12 month proportion on record.
• Revised data now indicates that the rolling 12 month average percentage of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland generated from renewable sources exceeded 40% for the first time for the 12 month period ending December 2018 with 40.7% achieved.
• In terms of the volume of electricity consumption, between July 2018 and June 2019 approximately 7,788 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of total electricity was consumed in Northern Ireland.  Of this, some 3,426 GWh was generated from renewable sources within Northern Ireland. This is the highest rolling 12 month volume of renewable electricity generated on record.
• Of all renewable electricity generated within Northern Ireland over the 12 month period July 2018 to June 2019, 85.3% was generated from wind.  This compares to 83.9% for the previous 12 month period (July 2017 to June 2018).

The full report is available on the Department's Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation Statistics page .

Notes to editors: 

Notes to editors

1. The information presented in the report is derived from data provided to the Department for the Economy on a monthly basis by Northern Ireland Networks Ltd (NIE Networks). The monthly renewable electricity generation data is derived by aggregating output from renewable electricity generators who are connected to the transmission and distribution network using a combination of data held by NIE Networks and the System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI). The renewable electricity generation data details the total amount of renewable electricity generated by such generators in Northern Ireland, by type of generation, for each month excluding any transmission and distribution losses.

2. As the previous reports have indicated, monthly data received from NIE Networks may be subject to revision and these revisions incorporated into subsequent publications. On 29 August 2019, NIE Networks provided revised data which included some significant renewable generation sites which had not previously been reported to NIE Networks by the System Operator for Northern Ireland. These data revisions impacted on the monthly renewable generation figures for the period April 2018 to June 2019 with the previously unrevised data for this period representing an undercount of the actual volume of monthly renewable generation over this period.

3. There are some forms of renewable generation which are not covered by the data contained in the report. Due to their particular circumstances, neither NIE Networks nor SONI have information on the electricity generated by some renewable generators. These include microgenerators and a small number of generating stations that are unable to export electricity to the grid (non-export stations).

4. Electricity consumption refers to the total amount of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland as recorded via metered data by NIE Networks. Losses in transmission and distribution and any non-metered consumption are excluded.

5. Electricity generated from renewable sources refers to renewable generators physically located within Northern Ireland and recorded by NIE Networks and SONI. It excludes microgeneration, non-export generating stations and any imported electricity derived from known or unknown renewable sources. 

6. For media enquiries, please contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on 028 9052 9604. Outside office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 028 9037 8110 and your call will be returned.

7.      General information on the Electricity Consumption and Renewable Generation for Northern Ireland report can be obtained from Sean Donnelly, Department for the Economy Analytical Services by email at sean.donnelly@economy-ni.gov.uk or by telephone on 028 9052 9793.

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