SCOTLAND has generated a record amount of renewable electricity for the first quarter of this year, as the country continues to produce more energy than it consumes, according to new figures.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s (DESNZ) latest figures show that 13.4 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity was produced from renewable sources in Scotland during the first quarter of 2026 – the highest ever recorded for a single quarter and a 22% increase compared to 2025.
One terawatt-hour of electricity is enough to power around 400,000 average homes for an entire year.
The figures come after the SNP made the “It's Scotland's Energy” campaign central to the party’s election manifesto for this year’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.
The SNP argued that Scotland's renewable wealth is not translating into lower bills for households and businesses because key decisions over energy remain reserved to Westminster.
In 2025, Scotland recorded net electricity exports of 20.8 TWh, continuing to generate significantly more electricity than it consumes.
Energy Minister Stephen Gethins said the latest figures indicate Scotland’s “substantial progress” towards “harnessing the massive potential” of the country’s energy wealth.
“Behind these figures are tens of thousands of skilled, well-paid jobs either directly involved in generating renewable electricity or supporting it through supply chains across the country,” he said.
“Alongside the wider economic opportunity for communities, increased capacity to generate energy from Scotland's abundant renewable resources will shift our reliance away from volatile global energy markets.”
Gethins added: “As a massive energy exporter, Scotland also has a critical role to play in safeguarding UK and European energy security.
“That's why the Scottish Government will continue to accelerate investment in renewables to strengthen our energy security, produce the power we need to meet increasing demand, and support progress towards net zero.”
The SNP’s “It's Scotland's Energy” campaign included plans to end so-called constraint payments made to wind farms that are unable to export electricity because of grid bottlenecks, along with scrapping the UK's “nuclear levy”, which adds costs for new nuclear projects onto consumer bills.
The proposals would also give Scottish communities the right to own up to 20% of renewable energy developments in their local area.
Back in January, First Minister John Swinney argued that Scotland's status as an energy-rich nation sits in stark contrast with the high energy bills faced by households and businesses.
“People often ask how an energy-rich nation like Scotland pays some of the highest bills in Europe – it just does not add up,” he said.
The SNP has repeatedly argued that Scotland now produces more clean electricity than it uses but lacks the powers needed to ensure that wealth directly benefits consumers.
“Scotland has the resources. We have the expertise. What we lack are the powers,” Swinney said.
