The SNP has welcomed latest figures showing a significant increase in wind power generated in Scotland – and called on the UK Government to stop “pulling the rug from underneath a flourishing industry”.
New figures show that wind turbines in April have generated 15% more electricity than in the same period last year. This was enough to supply, on average, the electrical needs of 79% of Scottish households.
On 8 days out of 30 wind turbines generated enough electricity to supply 100% or more of Scottish homes.
Deputy Scottish First Minister John Swinney said: “The SNP has long championed green energy and these new figures are yet more evidence of how successful that approach has been.
“We have powered through our target to have 50% of Scotland’s electricity consumption come from renewables by 2015 – and, if re-elected, we will implement an ambitious and long term energy strategy to make electricity cleaner, more affordable and more secure for consumers.
“This is in stark contrast to the UK’s energy policy, with the Tories turning their back on renewables and risking pulling the rug from underneath a flourishing industry.
“Growth in renewable energy is one of the reasons Scotland is seen as an international leader in taking action to tackle climate change – alongside our world leading targets to reduce our carbon emissions.”
Analysis of wind and solar data by Weather Energy found that for the month of April:
Wind turbines in Scotland provided 699,684MWh of electricity to the National Grid, enough to supply, on average, the electrical needs of 79% of Scottish households (1.9 million homes) – this represents an increase of 15% compared to that of April 2015, when wind energy provided 608,601MWh.
For homes fitted with solar PV panels, there was enough sunshine to generate an estimated 95% of the electricity needs of an average household in Dundee, 87% in Edinburgh, 86% in Aberdeen, 84% in Glasgow, and 83% in Inverness.
For those homes fitted with solar hot water panels, there was enough sunshine to generate 82% of an average household’s hot water needs in Inverness, 80% in Dundee, 78% in Aberdeen, 76% in Glasgow, and 74% in Edinburgh.
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