Editing United Kingdom (section)

=== Energy ===
{{Main|Energy in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Ardrossan's fan club. - panoramio.jpg|thumb|right|Wind turbines overlooking [[Ardrossan]] in Scotland. The UK is [[Wind power in the United Kingdom|the best site in Europe for wind energy]], and wind power production is its fastest-growing supply.]]

In 2021, the UK was the world's 14th-largest consumer of energy and the 22nd-largest producer.<ref name="United Kingdom Energy Profile">{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom Energy Profile |url=https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/GBR |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228165225/https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/GBR |archive-date=28 February 2023 |access-date=28 February 2023 |publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration}}</ref> The UK is home to many large energy companies, including two of the six major oil and gas companies – [[BP]] and [[Shell plc|Shell]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mason |first=Rowena |date=24 October 2009 |title=Let the battle begin over black gold |work=The Telegraph |location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6424030/Let-the-battle-begin-over-black-gold.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 November 2010 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/6424030/Let-the-battle-begin-over-black-gold.html |archive-date=10 January 2022}}{{Cbignore}}; {{Cite news |last=Heath |first=Michael |date=26 November 2010 |title=RBA Says Currency Containing Prices, Rate Level 'Appropriate' in Near Term |work=Bloomberg |location=New York |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-25/rba-s-stevens-says-inflation-unlikely-to-fall-much-further.html |url-status=live |access-date=26 November 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722062837/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-25/rba-s-stevens-says-inflation-unlikely-to-fall-much-further.html |archive-date=22 July 2012}}</ref>

The total of all renewable electricity sources provided 43% of the electricity generated in the UK in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2021 |title=How much of our energy currently comes from renewable sources? |work=National Grid |url=https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/energy-explained/how-much-uks-energy-renewable |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> Wind power production is the country's fastest-growing supply; in 2022, 26.8% of the UK's total electricity was generated by wind power.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2023 |title=Britain produced record amount of wind power in 2022, National Grid says |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/britain-produced-record-amount-wind-power-2022-national-grid-2023-01-06/ |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref> The UK has the largest offshore wind farm in the world, which is located off the coast of Yorkshire.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2021 |title=Wind energy in the UK: June 2021 |work=UK Government |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/articles/windenergyintheuk/june2021 |access-date=8 May 2023}}</ref>

In 2023, the UK had 9 nuclear reactors normally generating about 15 per cent of the UK's electricity.<ref name="coal-ref" /> Unlike Germany and Japan, there are two reactors under construction and more planned.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2013 |title=Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom |url=http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf84.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214061431/http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf84.html |archive-date=14 February 2013 |access-date=9 April 2013 |publisher=World Nuclear Association}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nuclear energy: What you need to know |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuclear-energy-what-you-need-to-know |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228181113/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/nuclear-energy-what-you-need-to-know |archive-date=28 February 2023 |access-date=28 February 2023 |publisher=UK Government}}</ref> In the late 1990s, nuclear power plants contributed around 25 per cent of the total annual electricity generation in the UK, but this has gradually declined as old plants have been shut down. The UK Government is investing in [[Small Modular Reactors]], [[Nuclear reactor#Future and developing technologies|Advanced Modular Reactors]] and [[Nuclear Fusion|Nuclear Fusion Reators]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=UKAEA implementing the UK's fusion energy strategy |url=https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/ukaea-implementing-the-uks-fusion-energy-strategy/174384/ |publisher=Open Access Government |access-date=27 May 2024}};{{Cite web |title=UK nuclear fusion reactor sets new world record for energy output |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415909-uk-nuclear-fusion-reactor-sets-new-world-record-for-energy-output/ |publisher=New Scientist |access-date=27 May 2024}}</ref> research and development.

In 2021, the UK produced 935&nbsp;thousand [[Oil barrel|barrels]] per day (bbl/d) of oil (and other liquids) and consumed 1,258&nbsp;thousand bbl/d.<ref name="United Kingdom Energy Profile" /> Production is now{{When|date=July 2024|reason=Since when?}} in decline and the UK has been a net importer of oil since 2005.<ref name="eiaoil">{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Oil |url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/Oil.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812175554/http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=UK |archive-date=12 August 2011 |access-date=9 March 2015 |publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration}}</ref> {{As of|2020|alt=In 2020}}, the UK had around 2&nbsp;billion barrels of proven [[North Sea oil|crude oil reserves]].<ref name="eiaoil" />

In 2021, the UK was the 21st-largest producer of [[natural gas]] in the world.<ref name="eiagas">{{Cite web |title=United Kingdom&nbsp;– Natural Gas |url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/United_Kingdom/NaturalGas.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110416085105/http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=UK |archive-date=16 April 2011 |access-date=9 March 2011 |publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration}}</ref> Production is now{{When|date=July 2024|reason=Since when?}} in decline and the UK has been a net importer of natural gas since 2004.<ref name="eiagas" /> In 2020, the UK produced 1.8&nbsp;million tonnes of coal falling 91% in 10 years.<ref name="coal-ref">{{Cite web |title=Nuclear Power in the United Kingdom |url=https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/united-kingdom.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228175735/https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-t-z/united-kingdom.aspx |archive-date=28 February 2023 |access-date=28 February 2023 |publisher=World Nuclear Association}}</ref> In 2020 it had proven recoverable coal reserves of 26 million tonnes.<ref name="coal-ref" /> The UK [[Coal Authority]] has stated that there is a potential to produce between 7&nbsp;billion tonnes and 16&nbsp;billion tonnes of coal through [[underground coal gasification]] or '[[Hydraulic fracturing|fracking]]',<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 April 2006 |title=Coal Reserves in the United Kingdom |url=http://www.coal.gov.uk/media//860AD/Response%20to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20Appendix%202.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104054403/http://www.coal.gov.uk/media//860AD/Response%20to%20Energy%20Review%20-%20Appendix%202.pdf |archive-date=4 January 2009 |access-date=5 July 2011 |publisher=The Coal Authority}}</ref> and based on current UK coal consumption, such reserves could last between 200 and 400 years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 October 2007 |title=Expert predicts 'coal revolution' |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7046981.stm |access-date=23 September 2008}}</ref>