Scottish government misses renewable heat target

Engineers install a heat pump

The Scottish government has missed a target for 11% of non-electrical heat to be generated by renewables in 2020.

A report found the total non-electrical heat coming from renewable sources, such as heat pumps or biomass, was 6.4% in 2020 compared to 6.6% in 2019.

The decline was put down to a reduction in output by several large biomass facilities and the pandemic.

Opposition politicians said the government's environmental rhetoric had failed to translate into action.

There has been a steady increase in the number of heat pumps being installed, with 3,020 reported last year.

Under the latest strategy to decarbonise Scotland's buildings, which is being overseen by Green minister Patrick Harvie, one million homes and 50,000 other premises will need to transition to low-carbon heat by 2030.

The 11% target for renewable heat was set as part of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act in 2009.

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The Energy Saving Trust produced a report on progress towards the target for the Scottish government.

It said: "The decrease in renewable heat output and progress towards the renewable heat target between 2019 and 2020 is largely due to changes in operation at a small number of very large biomass sites.

"Their reduction in output masked the growth in output from new biomass installations and those of other renewable technologies."

The government's own progress report said: "Whilst biomass and biomethane dominate renewable heat generation, there has been a steady growth in heat produced by heat pumps.

"Heat pumps saw the largest increase in number of installations and output with an additional 3,020 installations contributing to an additional 83GWh of output, compared with 2019.

"This brings the total heat output from heat pumps in Scotland to 390GWh and the total number of installations to around 21,000."

'Disappointing'

But Scottish Conservative net zero spokesman Liam Kerr said the numbers reflect the "disappointing reality" of missed climate change targets.

He said: "In their so-called catch up plan, the SNP need to come clean and provide real details of how they are going to get Scotland's drive to net zero back on track.

"With COP26 in a few days this is further evidence that Nicola Sturgeon's rhetoric far outweighs her own government's ability to deliver on climate change."

Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon said the SNP's record on the environment is "one of failure" and warned things are getting worse.

She added: "With COP26 a matter of days away, this exposes the gulf between SNP rhetoric and reality.

"Being a world-leader on the environment requires deeds not words - the first minister should take her own advice and deliver credible action."

'Embarrassing'

Scottish Liberal Democrat climate emergency spokesman Liam McArthur said also highlighted the timing of the report.

He said: "It is embarrassing that in the week of COP26 Scotland has missed another national target. Worse still it has gone backwards."

WWF Scotland said stronger regulation and incentives from the Scottish government were needed to meet its 2030 target.

Climate and energy manager Holly O'Donnell said: "The pandemic will have disrupted progress in 2020 but even before this, the roll-out of energy efficiency, heat pumps and heat networks was too slow.

"The recent rise in gas prices is an urgent reminder that the move to renewables isn't just good for the climate, it can protect us against volatile fuel prices and create new green jobs."

In March Scotland narrowly missed a target to generate the equivalent of 100% of its electricity demand from renewables in 2020.