The Scottish government said it is on track to meet its 2020 energy targets after a positive first half of 2012.
According to figures released by the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Scotland’s renewable generation for the first half of 2012 was 12.8 per cent higher for the same period in 2011, seeing generation stand at 806GWh.
The figures also showed installed capacity at the end of the second quarter for 2012 was up by 18.6 per cent on the previous year, at 5,453MW.
Confirmation that 2011 was a record year for renewable electricity generation in Scotland was also shown, with 35 per cent of Scottish electricity demands being met from renewables, breaking the 31 per cent target.
Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said, ‘These statistics show once again that Scotland leads the world in renewable energy generation, and that our industry goes from strength to strength.
‘Renewable electricity generation for the first half of 2012 is up nearly 13 per cent on the amount generated in the same period in the previous year. The equivalent of an extra 147,000 homes could be powered for a year with the extra electricity produced in those six months alone, compared to the same period in 2011.
‘The Scottish government has the ambitious, but achievable target of generating the equivalent of 100 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, as well as more from other sources, and we are determined to ensure communities all over Scotland reap the benefit from renewable energy.’
He added, ‘Scotland has hit the natural lottery twice, first with oil and gas and with our green energy resources. We have astounding green energy potential and vast natural resources with about a quarter of Europe’s wind and tidal energy and ten per cent of its wave power. We have a responsibility to make sure our nation seizes this opportunity to create tens of thousands of new jobs and secure billions of pounds of investment in our economy.’
Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland said, ‘It’s great news that Scotland is producing even more renewable electricity than last year, but this should come as no surprise. We have repeatedly beaten our renewable electricity goals and are well on track to hit the 100 per cent by 2020 target. Clean, green energy from a whole range of renewables is vital to our move to reduce climate change emissions.
‘While we are making good progress on renewable electricity, we need to step up efforts on energy efficiency. With over a quarter of our climate change emissions coming from our buildings, we need to do much more to upgrade people’s homes so they become low-carbon and affordable to heat. Right now the Scottish Parliament has the opportunity to bolster the current budget proposals to deliver much more in this area.’
