Renewable energy proves a success in Scotland

Carbon dioxide levels in Scotland have fallen dramatically. Picture: Ian Rutherford

The trade body has produced a video to highlight the benefits of renewable energy to Scotland.

The animation, which will be premiered at an international Commonwealth Games renewables event in Glasgow, highlights 30 key green energy points.

The video, and accompanying booklet, will be launched next week and is designed to communicate the key advantages of renewable energy to Scotland in terms of energy generation, the economy, our people and communities and the environment.

Scotland produces the equivalent of almost half its electricity demand from renewables, more than doubling output since 2007, Scottish Renewables said.

The carbon dioxide displaced by renewables in 2012 was equivalent to removing every car, lorry, bus and train journey from the nation’s roads and rails for a year, it added.

Renewables support almost 12,000 full-time jobs across Scotland and over £1 billion was invested in Scotland by renewables companies in 2013 alone.

Scottish Renewables’ chief executive Niall Stuart said: “The renewables industry is widely supported by the general public and is providing undoubted economic and environmental benefits to Scotland.

“As the video sets out, renewable energy is bringing investment and jobs to Scotland, helping to cut carbon emissions, and delivering funds to communities across the country – exactly what support for the sector is designed to achieve.

“The video is designed to inform the incredibly important debate about how Scotland meets its future energy needs and set out the benefits of the huge growth in renewable energy output in recent years.”

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: “Renewables are helping to create jobs and cut Scotland’s climate change emissions.

“So, it’s great to see initiatives like this highlighting the benefits of the switch to clean energy.

“These benefits will only increase as Scotland moves closer to generating 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewables.”

http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/scotland-s-renewable-energy-targets-challenging-1-3087713|Scotland’s renewable energy targets challenging|Link to article}