28/03/2013

Record High For Scotland's Renewable Energy

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has said Scotland generated 7% more renewable energy in 2012 than the previous year.

In its latest report, it said 14,600 Gigawatt hours were generated in Scotland from renewable energy sources such as wind and hydro.

The DECC added that this represented more than a third of the UK's total renewables output for 2012, with the Scottish Government generating enough electricity to power the equivalent of every Scottish home.

Official DECC figures revealed wind generation in Scotland was 8296 GWh, an increase 19% on 2011, and more than four times the level in 2006.

By the end of 2012, there was 5,883 MW of installed renewable electricity capacity in Scotland, an increase of 22% from the end of 2011.

Scottish government Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said Scotland's contribution to the UK's renewable output demonstrated the importance of the country's role in helping the UK meet EU renewable energy targets.

He said: "We remain firmly on course to generate the equivalent of 100% of Scotland's electricity needs from renewables by 2020 - with renewables generating more than enough electricity to supply every Scottish home."

(JP/CD)

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