Britain could celebrate its greenest Christmas yet, energy operator says

Britain is on track for potentially its greenest Christmas Day ever, according to the National Energy System Operator (Neso). The prediction comes as new wind and solar capacity boost renewable electricity generation across the country, according to The Guardian.

If mild and windy weather continues through the rest of December, Neso expects the lowest carbon intensity—a measure of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity production—ever recorded on Christmas Day. Craig Dyke, a Neso director, highlighted that the electricity grid reached a record 97.7% zero-carbon output earlier this year on 1 April.

The previous greenest Christmas was in 2023, when the network recorded a carbon intensity of 30 million grams of CO₂, five times lower than in 2018. Last year, over 40% of electricity used on Christmas Day came from renewables, compared to just 1.7% in 2009. Earlier this month, wind turbines generated enough electricity to power nearly 3 billion 100-bulb LED fairy lights simultaneously.

In 2025, Britain added 2GW of wind and 3GW of solar power, bringing total renewable capacity to a record 53GW. Combined with lower than average energy demand, this increased capacity should help reduce emissions on Christmas Day.

However, Neso warns that high consumer demand at the end of the year can still impact the environment. UK households have disposed of an estimated 168 million light-up Christmas items and other “fast tech” gifts over the past year. Additionally, 1.1 billion electronic products and 450 million batteries are discarded irresponsibly every year.

The greener festive season coincides with the UK government’s net zero transition plans aiming for 2050. Neso analysis estimates that the UK already spends about 10% of GDP on net zero-related investments. Costs are expected to peak at £460 billion by 2029 under the most ambitious scenario before falling to roughly 5% of GDP by 2050. In a scenario where the UK fails to meet its net zero target, total costs could be around £350 billion lower, but with the added cost of climate damage.

By Vugar Khalilov