Turns out the UK’s going full throttle on clean power. In the second quarter of 2025, planners approved an eye-popping 16.1 gigawatts of new renewable energy across 323 projects. That’s nearly double what they approved this time last year. On top of that, battery storage projects are booming, with 8.4 GW of new applications hitting regulatory desks. (Financial Times)

Why the Numbers Matter

Getting this much renewable capacity in the pipeline puts the UK in a strong spot to meet its 95% clean power target by 2030. It’s a bold move toward energy security and climate goals—even if grid constraints and local pushback are slowing some projects down.

Big Battery Action

Battery storage saw a surge too, largely thanks to falling costs—especially imported Chinese tech—and investor interest that’s up thanks to sweet returns. Compared to wind or solar, batteries get fewer land-use cheers, so they’re often faster through planning. They’re becoming the secret glue that holds renewables together.

Why I Took Notice

We’ve talked about renewable goals for ages, but hitting record approvals this quickly shows the shift is real. Especially if regulations keep pace, this may well be the turning point where clean energy moves from ambition to everyday reality.

Source:
Financial Times (UK Q2 2025 renewable and battery approvals)