2013 is fast approaching and experts have been looking back and analysing the performance of the UK’s renewable market.

According to recently published data from energy secretary Edward Davey – the Renewable Energy Roadmap – renewable energy in the UK is pushing forward.

There has been “significant progress” across the sector between July 2011 and July 2012, including:

A 27 per cent increase in overall renewable electricity generated
A 40 per cent increase over the same period in renewable electricity capacity. Now over 10 per cent of all electricity generated is coming from renewables
A 60 per cent increase of offshore wind capacity to 2.5 gigawatts
A five-fold increase in solar PV capacity

Mr Davey commented: “Renewable energy is increasingly powering the UK’s grid, and the economy too. It’s a fantastic achievement that more than ten percent of our power now comes from renewables, given the point from which we started.

“Right now, getting new infrastructure investment into the economy is crucial to driving growth and supporting jobs across the country. I am determined that we get ahead in the global race on renewables and build on the big-money investments we’ve seen this year”.

This five-fold increase in solar PV capacity is a remarkable achievement and the combined increase in renewable output shows that the UK is on track to meeting its first interim target. It is also on the way to the ambitious European target to source 15 per cent of all energy from renewable sources by 2020.

John Hayes, Minister of State for Energy, said: “Energy is crucial to our economic well-being, bringing in major investment and supporting jobs across the country.

“I firmly believe that a diverse energy mix is the best way to ensure our energy security. It is extremely encouraging that we have made such positive steps on renewable energy as part of that mix.”

There are several large-scale plans in the pipeline for hydro, solar and biomass projects across the UK that will further improve these output statistics.