Cornwall Insight senior analyst Tom Andrews said: “Arguably, renewables have stepped into the baseload role, with gas and limited amounts of coal fulfilling a peaking role both when demand goes pick up, and when renewables output dips.
“Many system operators are now proving able to manage grids at 70% or more renewable energy and with a much lower level of demand than would – even a few months ago – have been expected,” he added.
Great Britain has experienced an average reduction in demand of 17.2% and 17.5% in carbon intensity during the assessed period for 2020, compared to the same period last year.
Demand in France fell by an average of 16.3% over the period, while emissions have fallen by 24.9% per kWh of electricity produced.
Germany’s demand has reduced 11.5% on average, but a much larger reduction in carbon intensity of electricity production, at 35.9%, has been experienced.
Italy has sustained a 14.9% decrease in electricity demand over the period. More recently, demand has fallen by up to 25% below seasonal averages, while emissions per unit of electricity have fallen by 15.9%.