According to a report from Scotland’s government, over a quarter of the country’s electricity needs now come from renewable energy sources.
Statistics published last week in relation to 2009 show that renewable energy contributed over 27 percent of Scotland’s electricity consumption. The country’s contribution accounted for 43 percent of the total UK renewables output.
2009 saw a 37 per cent rise in electricity generated from wind, wave and solar power, with the primary contributor being wind energy.
Scotland recently raised its renewable energy target from 50 per cent to 80 per cent by 2020. Currently it has 7 gigawatts of renewables capacity either installed or in the pipeline; which will take it beyond the interim target of 31 per cent of electricity demand from renewables by 2011. Wind power accounts for approximately 2.55 GW of that 7GW total and the next major contributor is hydro at nearly 1.5 GW.
Climate Change Minister Roseanna Cunningham said that while Scotland’s renewable energy future looks very promising, the next decade will be “..decisive for determining the pace of the renewable revolution and the transition to a low carbon future. We need a fairer transmission charging regime and we need the UK Government’s proposals to reform the electricity market to help, not hinder Scotland.”
Jenny Hogan, Scottish Renewables Director of Policy commented; “Despite all the myths, the figures show that renewables are generating a significant proportion of Scotland’s electricity demand and displacing greater amounts of carbon emissions every year.”
While electricity generated in Scotland increased by three per cent in 2009, gross electricity consumption decreased by 4 per cent. Scotland is a major electricity exporter, with 24 per cent of electricity (12,145 GWh) generated in the country exported in 2009.
