New data was released during March 2021 which shows that Scotland was not able to achieve its objective of generating 100% of the nation’s electric supply through various renewable energy sources.
By the year 2015 Scotland was already generating electricity through renewable energy sources such as wind, wave, and tide. This contributed to roughly 59% of the total electricity consumption through these renewable sources. Scotland’s aim was to achieve the goal of 50% renewable electricity by 2015 and 100% by the end of 2020.
Initial targets were set as far back as 2011 when renewable energy technologies only generated about 37% of Scotland’s electric supply. However, today the data has changed significantly, and there has been an 8% jump from the data of 2019 meaning that right now about 97.4% of Scotland’s electric supply is entirely met by renewable sources of energy. The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Bill is aimed at that.
Scottish Climate Change Bill
This bill focuses on legislations that are set in order to achieve net-zero emissions of all greenhouse gases in Scotland by the year 2045. The climate change bill contains actions on the following:
- Reducing Scotlands greenhouse gas emissions
- Programs to help climate change
- Reduce carbon emissions in the public sector
- Reduce carbon emission in the private sector with various funds and skills sets
- Raise awareness among the public about climate change
Claire Mack who is the Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables said that in the past 10 years, Scotland has managed to triple its renewable electricity output. According to Claire, this amount of energy is enough to power almost seven million households.
Claire said, “Industry and government must continue to work together to address the challenges which exist if we are to fully realise our potential, meet net-zero by 2045 and achieve a just energy transition.”
According to Claire Mack:
- In Scotland, Domestic and commercial transport account to almost 25% of the energy used.
- 6.5% of Scoltands non-electric heat demand is generated from renewable sources.
- Scotland had the technology to replace gas in the homes, but this is not an easy task.
- Every year, millions of tonnes of carbon is being displaced by various renewable projects
Scottish renewables is also continuously working with various political parties to promote their manifesto for the upcoming election on May 6th. In their manifesto ‘A BRIGHTER FUTURE: PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’, they have set recommendations for the next government on how renewable energy can improve the wellbeing of society.
A BRIGHTER FUTURE: PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
The goal of Scottish Renewables’s manifesto:
- Improve wellbeing
- Strengthen the economy
- Sustain the environment
- Set Scotland on the path to becoming the renewable powerhouse of the world.
Some of the recommendations by the Scottish Renewables manifesto:
- establish a Net-zero Energy Commission
- Climate Change Committee offices to be set up in Scotland
- support the opening of an office of the
- All decisions must be guided by the net-zero targets
- Government to work hand in hand with the renewable energy industry
- Establish a renewable energy skill center
- Introduce regulations to phase out fossil fuel heating
You can read the full manifesto by Scottish renewables here.
