New figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show that Scotland generated 26,708 Gigawatt hours (GWh) from renewable energy sources in 2018 – a 6.1% increase on 2017 and a new record high. This output of electricity is equivalent to powering all households in Scotland for more than two-and-a-half years.
Scotland’s capacity to produce renewable electricity also continues to grow, rising 9% from 10.0 GWh in 2017 to 10.9 in 2018.
In addition, 2018 was a record year for electricity exports from Scotland, with an almost doubling from 12,868 GWh in 2017 to 24,379 GWh in 2018 and 74.6% of gross electricity consumption in Scotland was from renewable sources.
Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands Paul Wheelhouse MSP said:
“Last year we saw the growing importance of offshore wind with capacity and generation both more than doubling compared to 2017, with further projects under construction.
"Despite damaging policy changes from the UK Government since 2015, particularly in terms of impacts on onshore wind, we continue to provide strong support for Scotland's renewable energy sector. Generation and infrastructure investment continues, not least because of the importance in preventing the damaging impacts of climate change."
Kenneth Gibson MSP added:
“I am incredibly heartened that not only have Scotland’s energy exports almost doubled over the past year, almost three-quarters of the energy we consume is now from renewable sources. This has undoubtedly been achieved thanks to projects like the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, opened in Aberdeen Bay by the First Minister in September.
“Supported by a €40 million grant from the European Union, the EOWDC’s total generating capacity will annually prevent more than 130,000 tonnes of climate changing CO2 from entering the atmosphere. Our continued commitment to investing in infrastructure and innovation is therefore key to achieving the ambitious 90% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 set out in the SNP Government’s Climate Change Bill.”
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