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Renewable energy generation in Scotland continues to rise

17 Oct 2024

Scotland has generated more renewable energy so far this year than in any other year, according to new statisticsĀ from the Scottish Government.

In the first half of 2024, Scotland generated 18,084 GWh of renewable energy, up 13.7% on last year and above the previous high recorded in 2022. The renewable energy that was produced in the second quarter of this year saw particularly high growth, marking a 27.9% increase compared to the same quarter in 2023.


Overall, there are 75 new renewable electricity projects under construction in Scotland, most of which are onshore and offshore wind, others include battery and pumped hydro storage. In addition to this, there are 455 projects which have had planning applications approved and are awaiting construction and a further 300 projects which have submitted planning applications.


In the last 12 months, renewable electricity capacity has risen, up 5% from June 2023 to 15.6% GW in June 2024.


Scotlandā€™s total final energy consumption also continues to fall, with the largest reductions being in household electricity and gas consumption and in commercial oil consumption.


What does all this mean for the future of renewable energy in Scotland?

We know that Scottish renewables are generating more power than the country is using. However, it isnā€™t always possible to use all the renewable electricity being generated, as sometimes there is not enough demand, or no way to store it. And whilst more and more projects are being built and consented, the main problem is storage and connectivity.


To put it simply, there are not enough cables to take renewable electricity from Scotland, where itā€™s mostly produced, to England, where itā€™s mostly needed.

On top of that, delays in planning approvals and grid connections has slowed the pace of building battery storage across the UK.


The wider network has failed to keep pace. This means this power is not only wasted, but it also costs more.


Renewable energy is a challenge for the grid. Should good power connections not be a pre-condition before we green light more projects?


Read the full report ā€˜Energy Statistics for Scotland - Q2 2024ā€™ here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/energy-statistics-for-scotland-q2-2024/pages/renewable-electricity-generation/

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Borders Wind Farm Watch is a cross-community initiative which Ā monitors wind farm development in the Scottish Borders.

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