Scotland generated 27.4% of electricity demand from renewables in 2009.

Responding to the publication of government statistics on renewable energy generation, Jenny Hogan, Scottish Renewables Director of Policy, said: “Scotland’s renewables industry has grown faster and further than anyone dared to hope even a few years ago. These figures from last year show that the production of renewable energy in Scotland continues to increase and supersede our expectations, with over a quarter of the electricity we use coming from renewables. The figures published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) also show 20.9 per cent of all electricity generated in Scotland came from renewables in 2009.

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“Despite all the myths, the figures show that renewables are generating a significant proportion of Scotland’s electricity demand and displacing greater amounts of carbon emissions every year.

“Earlier this month, Scottish Renewables announced that we now have over 4 gigawatts of developments in operation – enough to generate 31 per cent of the annual demand for electricity from every home and business in the country. With over a gigawatt under construction it is clear that, even allowing for increased demand year on year, we are absolutely on course to meet the target of 31 per cent of all electricity demand in 2011.

“With a further 6 GW in planning or with planning consent onshore, plus a proposed 10 GW of offshore wind and 1600 megawatts of wave and tidal projects, we are well on the way to our new target of 80 per cent by 2020."

(GK)