Scotland's wind farms generate enough energy to power over 5 million homes

**Graham** · 12-08-2014, 08:41 PM

Scotland's wind farms generate enough energy to power over 5 million homes
by ClickGreen staff. Published Mon 08 Dec 2014 13:47

The scale of Scotland’s wind energy sector has soared to record new levels after fresh figures revealed the nation’s turbines generated enough electricity in one day to power over 5 million homes.

Analysis by WWF Scotland of data provided by WeatherEnergy found that for the month of November:

Wind turbines alone generated an estimated 812,890MWh of electricity to the National Grid, enough to meet the electrical needs of 107% of all Scottish households for the whole month – the equivalent of 2.6 million homes.
Maximum output was on 11 November, when generation was an estimated 55,611MWh, enough to supply 5.34m homes for the whole day – equivalent to 221% of all Scottish households.
Minimum output was on 15 November, when generation was an estimated 7,838MWh, enough to supply 753,000 homes – equivalent to 31% of all Scottish households.
Wind generated enough output to supply 100% or more of Scottish homes on eleven out of the 30 days of November.

The figures come as ministers from almost 200 countries gather in Lima, Peru, for the second and final week of the UN climate talks, which is aiming to make progress on the draft of a new global deal on climate.

Speaking from the climate talks in Lima, where he is an observer, WWF Scotland’s director Lang Banks said: “While Torness nuclear power station had to be shutdown unexpectedly, November turned out to be another big month for wind power in Scotland, with enough pollution-free electricity generated to supply 107 per cent of Scottish households with the electricity they need.

“Even on calmer days, when wind wasn’t at its strongest, wind still supplied the equivalent of almost a third of electricity needs of every home. It’s clear that wind is now a critical and growing part of our current power sector.”

“I’m currently at the UN climate talks spreading the word about Scotland’s world leading climate targets and the rapid progress we’re making on renewables. I hope that news of November’s renewable output, alongside news that renewables are now the largest source of electricity in Scotland, will help inspire other countries to follow our lead, embrace the clear opportunities clean energy provides and secure progress for global action on climate.”

Scotland’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod said the international community should now step up to match Scotland’s world-leading climate change ambitions to tackle global warming.

Dr McLeod will travel today to Lima to take part in the UN climate talks which are aimed at paving the way for a new global climate treaty next year. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland are also attending.

It comes just days after official estimates that 2014 will be the warmest year on record with manmade greenhouse gases causing the rise in temperatures.

Dr McLeod said: “The scientific evidence could not be clearer. The world is getting warmer and greenhouse gas emissions from mankind are extremely likely to be the dominant cause of climate change.

“That is why I am taking a very strong message to the UN meeting in Lima that the international community must match Scotland’s world-leading climate change ambitions.

“The Scottish Government takes climate change extremely seriously. Our solid progress towards achieving a 42 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020 from a 1990 baseline has been praised by our independent assessors the Committee on Climate Change, and we have committed almost £1 billion of Scottish Government funding over the next two years for climate change action.

“We know our targets are not easy but they are at the level the international community needs to match if the new climate treaty in Paris next year is to stand a good chance of limiting global temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees Celsius.

“By sharing Scotland’s high ambition on climate change with the international delegates attending this crucial summit in Peru, we will show that substantial progress on cutting emissions is do-able as well as desirable.

“Climate change affects every single person on this planet and so it is time for the global community to step up and follow Scotland’s lead. However, these targets are not just for governments or politicians – everyone has a role to play in reducing emissions.”

Tom Ballantine, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland Chair, said: "It is important that there is a Scottish presence at the Lima climate conference, as Scotland has a good story to tell of commitment on climate action. Attendance from the Scottish Climate Minister should send a positive signal to the international community about Scottish political commitment to taking action on climate change. We continue to share Scotland’s climate action story abroad and work to realise its full potential at home."

Commenting on WWF’s wind power figures Dr McLeod added: “Scotland’s renewable energy targets are amongst the most ambitious in the world and we are punching above our weight in the international effort to tackle climate change.

“For example, we generated 46.6 per cent equivalent of Scotland’s gross electricity production from renewables in 2013 and we are making excellent progress towards meeting our target of the equivalent of 100 per cent of gross annual electricity demand from renewables by 2020.

“This is just one of the ways in which Scotland is working to meet our world-leading climate change ambitions which I will be urging the international community to match when I am at the UN climate talks in Lima this week.”