Wind and solar power have dramatically cut Great Britain’s reliance on natural gas, saving consumers billions of dollars. A study by University College London found that wind energy alone reduced electricity bills by $18.7 billion and cut gas costs by $175 billion between 2010 and 2023. After accounting for $56.8 billion in green energy subsidies, consumers saved a net $137 billion. That’s roughly £104 billion in total savings.
Wind and solar power saved British consumers a net $137 billion, far outpacing $56.8 billion in green energy subsidies.
Great Britain’s wind sector has grown rapidly in recent years. The country now has 15.7 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind capacity. In 2024, it added 739 megawatts (MW) from new projects, including Viking (443 MW) in Scotland and Broken Cross (43.2 MW) in England. The government’s goal is to reach 26 GW of onshore wind by 2030, though that’s still 3.1 GW short of the Clean Power 2030 target.
Wind’s impact on electricity generation has been striking. In the first quarter of 2024, wind produced 25.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity. That’s more than the 23.6 TWh generated by all fossil fuels combined. Wind made up an average of 39.4% of Great Britain’s total electricity during that period. It was the longest stretch on record where renewables outpaced fossil fuels.
The wind boom’s effects haven’t stayed within Great Britain’s borders. More renewable energy across Europe has pushed down gas demand, which has lowered gas prices continent-wide. This reduced the need to build new gas-fired power plants, saving even more money. Across the continent, clean sources have reached record highs, such as around 45% of gross electricity consumption in parts of Europe, underscoring how widespread the shift away from fossil fuels has become.
Solar and wind working together have also made the country’s energy supply more stable. They’ve reduced how much gas Great Britain imports from other countries. That shift makes the energy system stronger and less vulnerable to global price shocks, like those caused by the Ukraine war in 2021. According to the study, the £104 billion in savings exceeds the extra gas costs Britain faced due to that conflict.
The wind sector currently employs 55,000 people. That number’s expected to double to 110,000 by 2030. Wind capacity could grow beyond 67 GW with continued government investment and grid upgrades. In 2024 alone, developers submitted 77 onshore wind planning applications, reflecting the strongest pipeline of new projects in years.
