In the span of a year, Scotland's capability for generating electricity from renewable sources surged by 10%, led by significant expansions in both offshore and onshore wind installations. Recent data for 2023 underscores Scotland's ongoing trend of outpacing its electricity consumption, boasting net exports to other UK regions valued at approximately £1.5 billion.

This achievement is propelled by record-breaking production levels in the latter half of the year. Wind technologies accounted for over three quarters of Scotland's renewable electricity output in 2023, followed by hydro technologies which contributed nearly 14%.

The Scottish Energy Statistics for the fourth quarter of 2023 reveal a robust 15.3 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable electricity capacity currently operational in Scotland, with an additional 25.9 GW in various stages of planning across 517 projects. This marks a significant uptick from the 13.9 GW capacity recorded in 2022.

Government’s commitment to a green economy

Energy Minister Gillian Martin highlighted Scotland's renewable energy sector achievements, noting a 10% capacity increase and £1.5 billion net exports. She underscored the government's commitment to a green economy, sustainable resource use and transitioning to net zero emissions.

The minister explained that, in order to leverage these opportunities, £66.9 million will be allocated in 2024-25 to initiate a £500 million investment over five years in the offshore wind supply chain, with goals of economic growth, job creation and community benefits.

Electricity country context

One Gigawatt of power equates to one billion watts and has the capacity to supply energy to anywhere from 300,000 to 750,000 homes, contingent upon the energy source and the homes' consumption levels.

In 2023, Scotland's electricity generation from renewable sources totaled 33.3 Terawatt-hours (TWh). This marked a 7% decrease from the previous year, primarily attributed to unfavorable weather conditions.

However, the second half of 2023 witnessed unprecedented levels of renewable generation, which helped offset this decline. A Terawatt-hour, representing one trillion watts of power utilized for one hour, serves as the unit of measurement for this energy.

Scotland's net electricity exports to other UK regions in 2023 reached 15.9 TWh.