Scotland achieved a “huge year” for wind power with the sector up 16% and generating a total of 10,392,439 megawatt-hours of electricity, enough to meet around 97% of domestic demand in the country.
WWF Scotland figures based on data from WeatherEnergy showed that December wind output was up by 6% year on year and that turbines out-produced household needs on 29 of the month’s 31 days.
Wind met 41% of Scotland’s entire electricity needs for the year, added the wildlife charity.
Solar was also up during the year and “met half of more of household electricity or hot water needs during seven months of 2015”, said WWF.
Director Lang Banks said: “2015 was a huge year for renewables, with wind turbines and solar panels helping to ensure millions of tonnes of climate-damaging carbon emissions were avoided.
“With 2016 being a critical year politically, we’d like to see each of the political parties back policies that would enable Scotland become the EU’s first fully renewable electricity nation by 2030.”
Scotland Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Our early adoption of clean, green energy technology and infrastructure was the right thing to do. Renewables are now Scotland’s biggest electricity generator with nearly half of gross electricity consumption coming from renewables.”
He added that devolved administrations such as the Scottish government will be strong drivers of a progressive climate agenda and said: “A low carbon economy is more than just a practical way forward, green energy plays a crucial role in the security of Scotland’s energy supply.”
Image: reNEWS
