09 July 2011

Scotland plans 30 per cent renewables target by 2020
The Scottish government has announced revised renewable energy targets, pledging to meet 30 per cent of energy demand from renewables by 2020

Plans will also hope to deliver 500MW of community-owned renewable energy by this date as the country continues to excel in generating renewables.

Unveiling a new Renewables Routemap, it outlines the ways the country needs to meet the targets and capitalise on the economic potential of Scotland's green energy capacity.

Previously, Scotland had planned to meet a 20 per cent renewables target by 2020, a goal that it was on track to succeed. New targets will also see the nation generate 11 per cent of heat from renewables by the end of the decade.

Scotland has also made the pledge to generate 100 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020, "one of the most ambitious [targets] in the world", energy minister Fergus Ewing said.

"Renewable energy provides perhaps Scotland's greatest economic and environmental opportunity this century," he added.

"Our new Routemap sets out what we need to do collectively to write the next chapter in Scotland's renewable energy story."

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