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More than a third of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland comes from renewable sources

More than 35 per cent of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland last year was generated from renewable sources such as wind farms
More than 35 per cent of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland last year was generated from renewable sources such as wind farms More than 35 per cent of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland last year was generated from renewable sources such as wind farms

MORE than a third (35.2 per cent) of total electricity consumption in Northern Ireland in the last year was generated from renewable sources located within the region, a new report says.

This represents an increase of 8.1 percentage points on the previous 12 month period and is the joint highest rolling 12 month proportion on record.

In terms of the volume of electricity consumption between April 2017 and March 2018, approximately 7,894 gigawatt hours (GWh) of total electricity was consumed in Northern Ireland. Of this, some 2,777 GWh was generated from renewable sources within Northern Ireland.

Of all renewable electricity generated within the north over the 12 month period, 84.3 per cent was generated from wind (up from 82.8 per cent the previous year).

The report reflects performance against the 2011-15 Programme for Government target which was to encourage achievement of 20 per cent of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2015 and the Executive’s 2010-20 Strategic Energy Framework which includes a target to achieve 40 per cent of electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020.