Renewable heat output in Scotland has fallen for the first time in nine years, official figures show.
A report published today by the Scottish Government shows that while renewable heat capacity in Scotland in 2016 rose by 13 per cent from the year before to 1.71GW, the amount of useful heat produced fell by 11 per cent to 3,752 GWh in the same time period.
Overall, Scotland generated an estimated 4.8 and 5 per cent of its non-electrical heat demand from renewable sources, down from 5.4 per cent in 2015.
The report states this is the first decline in renewable heat output that Scotland has seen since measurement began in 2008/9.
Responding to the figures, Scottish Renewables’ senior policy manager, Hannah Smith, said “decarbonising the ways in which heat is produced is crucial if we are to stand any chance of meeting our climate targets”.
“As a society, we take warm homes and workplaces and constant hot water for granted, but the time is right for a re-think of our relationship with heat and the way it is generated, transported and used,’ added Smith.
“Scottish Renewables will continue to work with both the Scottish and UK governments to make the case for continued support across all scales of development and to ensure that the importance of heat is recognised when decisions about our energy system are being taken.”