Thursday 24 September 2015

Scotland sets renewables record

In a bumper year for green energy, Scotland reached 7.4GW of installed renewable capacity at the end of the second quarter of 2015.

It also generated 4,832GWh of electricity from green sources during the same period.

This is an increase of 13.5% compared to the first half of 2014, according to new figures published by DECC.

They also found wind and hydro power output increased by 52.2% and 27% respectively compared to the same quarter last year.

The Scottish Government's energy consumption target to be reduced by 12% by 2020 was already at the required level seven years earlier in 2013, it stated.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Scotland has made great progress in increasing the amount of clean, green electricity in our energy mix. However we are very concerned that the damaging and premature cuts to support for renewable energy being driven through by the UK Government will hamper future progress.

"If they are going to pursue this policy there should be a sufficiently flexible grace period covering projects already in the planning system. This flexibility would ensure companies and communities are not penalised unfairly by the UK Government policy change where they have already invested."

The UK Government announced it will scrap subsidies for onshore wind projects from April 2016.

It will also slash economic support for solar and biomass. The Scottish Government announced it will keep supporting solar projects.