Solar PV power generation in the UK soared by 93% year-on-year in 2014 and reached 3.9TWh, according to new figures released by the Department for Energy and Climate Change today.

DECC’s UK Energy Statistics report for 2014 showed that renewable energy generation increased by 20% in 2014 to 64.4TWh with solar PV reporting the greatest increase among all renewable energy types compared to last year.

The 3.9TWh figure is approximately 6.1% of the UK’s total renewable energy generation in 2014, almost double the 3.8% share it recorded in 2013.

The increase was particularly notable in Q4 2014 during which renewables contributed a record 22% of the UK’s total energy generation, up more than 4% on the 17.9% figure recorded in the corresponding quarter in 2013.

DECC also revealed that UK emissions fell 8.4% in 2014, a figure which Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said was “encouraging news” as clean solar energy “skyrocketed” on tumbling prices.

“But this doesn't mean we should rest on our laurels – the government should build on the momentum and set more targets for getting off fossil fuels faster.

“The government also needs to be more rigorous in ensuring that some energy sources – like biomass – are really low carbon, and do not cause other environmental problems.

“With the UK and EU well on track to meet its 2020 emissions targets, we should be massively ramping up our ambition ahead of this year's UN climate talks,” Shrubsole added.