68.1% of Scotland’s gross electricity consumption was met by renewables in 2017. The Scottish Government target of 50% by 2015, has been met and the 2020 target is 100%. With new projects still to come online or to be constructed, the target looks a safe bet.
With only Iceland and Norway ahead of them, Scotland leads comparable countries such as Sweden with 53.8% and Finland with 38.7%. The UK and Ireland have less than 9% while the USA’s figure is 15.6%.
There are problems in comparisons in that some countries export and others export renewable energy, but these statistics suggest Scotland is in 3rd place for providing its own electricity.
The above is based on Scottish government figures and on Eurostat figures reported in the Independent yesterday:
https://news.gov.scot/news/record-year-for-renewables-generation
Further detail from the Scottish Government makes interesting reading:
- At the end of Q4 2017 a record, 10GW of installed renewables electricity capacity was operational in Scotland, a 13% increase over the year from Q4 2016
- In 2017, wind generation increased by 34% and hydro by 9%
- Renewable electricity generation in Q4 of 2017 in Scotland increased by 45% from the same time last year (Q4 2016)
The Independent summed it up this way:
‘It is believed the new statistics make Scotland one of the world’s top countries for providing its own electricity by sources avoiding fossil fuels, which accelerate climate change when burnt.’
Remember Caroline flint’s claim, in 2014, that England keeps the lights on in Scotland with subsidies for our renewables sector? She conveniently forgot about Scots subsidising nuclear plants in England. Anyhow, four years later, much has changed. See:
Talking-up Scotland 
If only energy was under the control of the Scottish government ……………………………………
We need now, to concentrate on energy storage–conversion to hydrogen, hydro storage, pressurized air ( we have a few concrete lined deep mine shafts, conveniently flooded with water), battery storage etc
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Good ideas.
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Hello John, thanks again for all your excellent work on this site. You’re so dedicated that you post on a holiday weekend – respect!
I’ve told you before how much I value your facts and sourcing. But what is also really useful to me is that you reinforce my memory of the facts by listing in each article links to previous articles on the same/related topic. So you save me the task of checking your archive.
I hope you’ re taking a holiday for the rest of the day….time for a chocolate egg or two?
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Thanks Exile. Do you live on Main Street? I’m glad you like the links to previous pieces to build the bigger case. I had thought they might get a bit boring. I rest a lot thanks. This is fun for me.
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Caroline Flint???!!! Was there ever a more solipsistic and vain quasi-Tory nonentity?
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Worth noting that the UK & Ireland figure most likely includes Scotland’s renewables. Without Scotland’s contribution they’d be sitting on more like 3%-4%.
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Good point
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