Scottish Government

Title

Amount of electricity from renewable sources.

Associated Targets

50% of gross electricity consumed (including losses) in Scotland to come from renewable sources by 2020 (interim target of 31% by 2011)

Brief Description

This indicator helps monitor the extent to which Scottish gross electricity consumption can be met sustainably using renewable energy sources located both within Scotland and its coastal waters. The indicator equates to the amount of renewables generated in Scotland as a percentage of Scottish gross electricity consumption, where consumption is the amount of electricity generated minus net exports (but including losses).

Strategic Objective(s) to Which Indicator Relates

The indicator informs progress towards a Greener Scotland by measuring renewable sources of electricity. The indicator also informs progress towards a Wealthier and Fairer Scotland since increasing renewables may provide new economic opportunities for Scotland. Meeting the target will involve investment in new generating capacity.

More Detailed Definitions

Definitions of Keywords

Electricity generated in Scotland is electricity generated in Scotland by both those producing electricity to sell to others and autogenerators, companies producing electricity mainly for their own use.

Renewable sources of energy include on and offshore wind, wave and tidal, hydroelectricity and solar energy. Solid renewable energy sources include wood, straw, short rotation coppice, other biomass and the biodegradable fraction of wastes. Gaseous renewables consist of landfill gas and sewage gas, as well as synthetic gas produced using the biodegradable portion of mixed wastes. Non-biodegradable wastes are not counted as a renewable source.

Scottish gross electricity consumption is the amount of electricity consumed which is computed as total electricity generated less exports plus imports.
% of gross electricity consumed in Scotland to come from renewable sources should be interpreted as the amount of electricity generated in Scotland by renewables as a percentage of Scottish gross electricity consumption.

Evidence Source

Data is collected and published by DECC. The unit of measurement is electricity generated as a percentage of the gross electricity consumption. It is a direct measure. The rationale for this measure is that if the indicator was 100% it would mean that the amount of electricity consumed (including losses and own use) over the course of the year in Scotland was equal to the amount generated from renewable sources in the year.

Baseline and Past Trends

The baseline is calendar year 2006. In 2006 renewables accounted for 16.9% of the gross electricity consumption in Scotland.

A times series including the most up to date data is available on Scotland Performs.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators/electricity

Methodology for Data Source

The indicator is the amount of electricity generated from renewables sources, expressed as a percentage of gross electricity consumption in Scotland.

Indicator = electricity generated by renewable sources/(total electricity generated - electricity exported +electricity imported) multiplied by 100.

Data Ownership and Quality Assurance

The evidence source is National Statistics, and the data is provided by the Department of Energy and Climate Change ( DECC).

Publication of Data

Data for the previous year appears annually in the December issue of Energy Trends, published by DECC in late December. Revisions for the previous year are published alongside the current year.

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/trends/trends.aspx

Data including revisions over the whole time series (since 2000) are published on the Scottish Government website:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Environment/seso/Q/TID/18

Methodology for Recent Change Arrow on Scotland

This evaluation is based on: any difference within +/- 0.7 percentage points of last year's figure suggests that the position is more likely to be maintaining than showing any change. An increase of 0.7 percentage points or more suggests the position is improving; whereas a decrease of 0.7 percentage points or more suggests the position is worsening.