News
New Stats Reveal Increases in Renewable Electricity Generated in Scotland
Published 02 April 2012 in Climate Change
The Scottish Government announced on 29 March that the amount of renewable electricity generated in 2011 rose 45% on 2010 to 13,750 Gigawatt hours.
Assuming gross consumption in 2011 is similar to 2010, this means around 35% of Scotland’s electricity needs came from renewables in 2011, beating the Scottish Government’s 2011 renewables target of 31%.
Statistics published today also show that:
- Renewable electricity generation in Scotland in 2011 was 13,750 GWh - increasing 44.5% on 2010, increasing 28.1% on 2009 (the previous record year for renewables) and increasing 67.4% on 2007;
- Wind generation in 2011 was at a record high of 7,049 GWh - up 45.0% on 2010 (the previous record year for wind) and has more than doubled since 2007;
- Hydro generation in 2011 was at a record high of 5,310 GWh - up 62.6% on 2010 (when output was reduced due to low rainfall), up 8.9% on 2009 (the previous record year for hydro) and up 13.1% on 2007;
- At the end of 2011, there was 4,796 Megawatts (MW) of installed renewables electricity capacity in Scotland, an increase of 9.5% (416 MW) on the end of 2010.
Commenting on the figures, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said that the country was making "great progress towards our goal of generating the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity needs from renewables by 2020."
Access the related Scottish Government press release