October was a “bumper month” for renewable energy in Scotland, with wind power alone producing more than enough electricity to meet the needs of every home in the country, campaigners have claimed.
Wind turbines generated an estimated 982,842 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity last month – with environmental group WWF Scotland suggesting this was enough to power 3,045,000 homes, the equivalent of 126% of the electricity needs of every home in Scotland.
WWF Scotland analysed figures from the WeatherEnergy organisation, looking at the estimated amount of power produced by the wind and the sun in Scotland.
For buildings fitted with solar PV panels, it is estimated there was enough sunshine last month to provide almost half (46%) of the electricity needs of the average home in Edinburgh, while houses in Inverness could get 38% of the electricity needs this way, compared to 37% for properties in Glasgow and 33% for Aberdeen.
Solar power could also provide anything up to two-fifths of the hot water needs of homes, according to the research.
For properties with solar hot water panels, there was enough sunshine in October to meet 41% of average needs in Edinburgh, compared to 31% in Inverness, 30% in Glasgow and 27% in Aberdeen.
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “While nuclear power plants were being forced to shut because of cracks, Scotland’s wind and sunshine were quietly and cleanly helping to keep the lights on in homes across the country.
“With wind power generating enough electricity to power 126% of the needs of every home in Scotland, it really was a bumper month for renewables in Scotland.
“Summer may be a distant memory, but for the tens of thousands of Scottish households that have installed solar panels to generate electricity or heat water, a third or more of their needs were met from the sun this October, helping reduce their reliance on coal, gas, or even oil.
“The science is clear, if we are to prevent the worst impacts of global climate change, then the world needs to move away from fossil fuels. The good news is that here in Scotland we’re making good use of wind power to create clean electricity.
“However, if Scotland is going to meet its future climate change targets, then we need to see greater support for energy efficiency and renewable heat, as well as action to curb emissions from transport.”
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