For some reason, this news was sneaked out just before Christmas to little fanfare, and almost completely ignored by the press. The only reason I know is that it was a 10-second spluttering from Jackie Bird on one of the few occasions I watched Reporting Scotland.
But for the government, it's some sorely needed Good News. You would think they would be trumpeting it from the roofs: 22% of Scotland's electricity in 2008 was produced from renewables.
Or perhaps the Government was too ashamed that they had just announced the Aberdeen Bypass., and had decided to stop pretending they were in any way "green"? Aye, right.
Anyway, about that electricity figure: 22% of our generation is just 9% off the government's own targets for 2011. We'll still have to go some to achieve the 50% by 2020 target though.
2 comments:
Agreed seems like good news but not terribly unexpected.
Not sure how relevant comment about Aberdeen by-pass is. Sitting in traffic and being diverted through cities does not strike me as being terribly green.
No, sitting in traffic is not terribly green. However study after study has shown that building roads leads to an INCREASE in traffic, and not to the reduction in congestion that the motoring industry always claims. The Edinburgh Bypass is a prime example. Have you ever sat in one of their infamous rush-hour tailbacks?
The only effective way to decrease congestion is to take cars off the road, which means giving people alternatives to their car - more public transport. The millions being pumped into the Aberdeen bypass could be used to subsidise more bus routes and an increased frequency timetable on rail routes into Aberdeen.
Taking more commuters off the road would free up the A90 - Aberdeen's original bypass - for those who want to avoid the city centre.
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