Scotland’s renewable electricity output has reached record-high levels, according to official statistics released today.

The figures, published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, show that renewables met a record-breaking 40.3 per cent of gross electricity consumption in 2012, confirming that Scotland is on track to meet its interim target of 50% by 2015.

This is important progress towards the Government’s 2020 target of the equivalent of 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity needs met from renewable electricity, as well as more from other sources.

Scottish renewable electricity made up 36 per cent of the UK’s renewable energy generation in 2012. Scotland continues to be a net exporter of electricity, exporting over 26 per cent of generation in 2012.

Also, quarterly data up to Q3 2013 shows that renewable generation in 2013 is on track to beat the record year set in 2012.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: ‘These figures show that renewable electricity in Scotland is going from strength to strength, confirming that 2012 was a record year for generation in Scotland and that 2013 looks set to be even better. We can already see from the first 9 months of 2013 that generation is 4 per cent higher compared to the same […]