Renewables now biggest generator of electricity

Green energy projects have become the largest generator of electricity in Scotland for the first time, with renewables now producing more power than either nuclear or fossil fuels.
Almost half (49.7 per cent) of Scotlands electricity demand came from renewable sources  such as wind power and hydro power  in 2014. Picture: TSPLAlmost half (49.7 per cent) of Scotlands electricity demand came from renewable sources  such as wind power and hydro power  in 2014. Picture: TSPL
Almost half (49.7 per cent) of Scotlands electricity demand came from renewable sources  such as wind power and hydro power  in 2014. Picture: TSPL

Almost half (49.7 per cent) of Scotland’s electricity demand came from renewable sources – such as wind power and hydro power – in 2014, according to new figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Renewable generation rose by 11.9 per cent from 2013, with a total of 38 per cent of the electricity generated in Scotland from this sector, against 33 per cent from nuclear and 28 per cent from coal, gas and oil.

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Energy minister Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland’s renewables sector is stronger than ever and our early adoption of clean, green energy technology and infrastructure was the right thing to do.

“It is fantastic news that renewables are now Scotland’s biggest electricity generator and that nearly half of gross electricity consumption comes from renewables.”

Scotland produced 49,929 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in 2014, with 18,962 GWh from renewable power sources.

The sector north of the Border employs 21,000 people directly and last year produced almost a third (29 per cent) of the UK’s renewable energy.

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