Wind energy has saved the UK more than £100bn in energy costs over the past decade, according to new research, challenging long-held claims that green energy drives up bills.
A study by University College London (UCL) has found that from 2010 to 2023, wind power helped cut the UK’s total energy costs by £104bn, largely by reducing the nation’s reliance on expensive gas imports and lowering electricity prices.
The research estimated that wind generation lowered electricity bills by £14.2bn, while reduced gas demand and infrastructure savings accounted for a much larger £133bn. Although consumers paid around £43bn in green subsidies over the same period, the net benefit remained overwhelmingly positive.
The study argues that renewable energy — often criticised for being costly to subsidise — has in fact provided one of the biggest financial returns for British households and the wider economy.
Wind power ‘a national investment, not a burden’
Lead author Colm O’Shea, a former hedge fund manager now studying at UCL, said the results show that wind power should be viewed as an economic investment rather than an environmental expense.
“Far from being a financial burden, this study demonstrates how wind generation has consistently delivered substantial benefits to the UK,” he said. “To put it into context, the £104bn saving is greater than the extra £90bn Britain has spent on gas since 2021 due to the war in Ukraine.”
O’Shea said the findings proved that investing in renewables was “a high-return national investment” that had protected households from volatile fossil fuel prices.
How renewables cut costs
The report explains that wind energy has lowered demand for gas-fired power plants across Europe, helping to push down wholesale gas prices and reduce the need for new, costly infrastructure.
Because the UK’s energy market allows gas to set the electricity price, consumers have not yet felt the full benefit of cheaper renewable energy.
Professor Mark Maslin, an Earth system scientist at UCL, said reforming the market could help pass those savings directly to households.
“At some stage, the UK government must decouple gas and electricity prices,” he said. “That way, gas prices would reflect global markets while electricity bills would show the savings from wind and solar power.”
Industry and government reaction
Ana Musat, policy director at RenewableUK, said the findings underline how vital homegrown renewable energy is for both affordability and security.
“The only way to permanently cut energy costs is to reduce our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets and increase clean domestic power,” she said.
She added that every gigawatt of offshore wind brings up to £3bn in private investment and supports tens of thousands of jobs.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said the government’s new auction process would ensure “the right amount of clean power at the right price,” while Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called wind energy “the right choice for families, industry and the nation.”
“Wind power is cheaper, cleaner and more secure than gas – and it’s helping to bring down bills for good,” he said.
The study comes as the UK prepares for its next round of offshore wind auctions, which will determine how quickly new projects can be built. Despite a smaller budget than the industry had hoped for, ministers insist the process will help Britain “take back control” of its energy future.
