Scotland’s Renewable Energy Industry Displaces Record Levels Of CO2 Emissions
Scotland’s renewable energy industry displaced a record 12.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions during 2014.
According to data released in response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by Scottish MP Callum McCaig and answered by the UK Energy Minister, Andrea Leadsom, Scotland’s renewable energy industry prevented more than one million tonnes of CO2 per month entering the atmosphere during 2014.
Those figures correspond to a 119% increase on 2010 levels, when only 5,611 million tonnes were displaced, and in 2014 represent almost a quarter of Scotland’s total carbon emissions.
“For the fourth year in a row these figures show an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide which has been displaced by Scotland’s renewable energy industry,” said Joss Blamire, Senior Policy Manager for Scottish Renewables. “The figure is equivalent to almost a quarter (23%) of Scotland’s total carbon emissions which is clearly good news for our environment, and is even more impressive when you consider the wider economic and social benefits that the sector brings.”
These impressive statistics come at a critical time in the debate over the use and role of renewable energy in the UK, as well as globally, as countries prepare for the UN climate negotiations in Paris later this year.
“We regularly hear Amber Rudd, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, talk about how committed the UK Government is to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and meeting carbon targets, but we need to see that being put into action and a long-term plan set out to support the sector’s continued growth,” said Mr Blamire.
“With only two months to go, it is more important now than ever before to lead by example and place renewable energy centre stage of the forthcoming climate talks in Paris.”
The UK has been the subject of close scrutiny by global renewable energy investors, proponents, and insiders, after initiating and considering numerous cuts to government support for small-scale renewable energy technologies and projects. UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Amber Rudd, has repeatedly defended her government’s position, claiming that the cuts will save “hard working British families and businesses” on their electricity bills — despite the fact that the country continues to heavily subsidize fossil fuel-generated electricity, and despite the fact that, over the long run, supporting the growth of various small- and large-scale renewable energy technologies will end up saving “hard working British families and businesses” thousands on their electricity bills.
Scotland has remained one of the standout case-studies for the benefit of renewable energy growth, time and again stepping out beyond the constraints of the UK government’s own policies and supporting renewable energy to the hilt. Such support has had a dramatic impact on the country’s electricity mix, as was seen by numerous monthly wind energy generation numbers and a “massive year” in total.
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To carry on a theme:
“Scotland has remained one of the standout case-studies for the benefit of renewable energy growth, time and again stepping out beyond the constraints of the UK government’s own policies and supporting renewable energy to the hilt. Such support has had a dramatic impact on the country’s electricity mix, as was seen by numerous monthly wind energy generation numbers and a “massive year” in total.”
This would be supported by the evidence given here if it were also true that the UK as a whole, or that the UK minus Scotland, had had a less “massive year” than Scotland alone.
Is that so?
While it is true that the Scottish government has an excellent track record of supporting renewable initiatives across Scotland, it is unclear to me from this or any other data what the “value-added” actually amounts to, over and above the relatively successful UK subsidies which the industry in Scotland has benefited from.
It is a serious concern that the current UK government is not supporting its renewables industry in the right way. An end to onshore subsidies may well have a big impact, and one disproportionately affecting Scotland.
Insofar as this is a UK-wide policy change, however, it strikes me that some credit for successes in Scotland must go to previous UK-wide policies.