Scottish renewable energy projects had a record-breaking 2012, producing enough power to meet 40.3% of the country’s electricity needs.
Figures released today from the Department of Energy and Climate Change confirm Scotland is on track to meet both its 2020 target of producing 100% of its electricity needs from renewables, and interim target of producing 50% by 2015.
The figures show that 36% of the UK’s total renewable energy generation in 2012 came from Scottish projects, while 26% of all electricity produced in the country was exported.
“These figures show that renewable generation in Scotland was at a record high last year, meeting around 40% of our electricity demand, and helping keep the lights on across these islands at a time when Ofgem are warning of the ever tightening gap between peak electricity demand and electricity supply,” said energy minister Fergus Ewing.
“We can already see from the first nine months of 2013 that generation is 4% higher compared to the same period in 2012.”
He accused the UK Government of ignoring calls for different levels of wind subsidy support across the three main island groups – yesterday announcing plans for an islands energy summit in early 2014 – and said the UK government needed to up the ante on offshore wind.
“Despite a very modest increase, the UK continues to display a lack of ambition for offshore wind,” added Mr Ewing. “This could yet cast doubt over some of the projects planned for Scotland and jeopardise our opportunity to secure thousands of jobs as well as manufacturing and supply chain investment.”
WWF Scotland director Lang Banks agreed and said Scotland needed to deploy significant amounts of offshore wind in the future to meet its 2020 renewables target.
“It’s therefore vital that the UK government gives a stronger signal of its ambition on the growth of offshore wind in Scotland’s seas, as well as the necessary support needed to deliver that growth,” said Mr Banks.
“While the rest of the UK has become distracted by gas fracking and new nuclear power, Scotland has quietly got on with the business of deploying renewables at scale. It’s clear from these figures that renewables are already ensuring the lights stay on, creating jobs and cutting emissions.”
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