Dickson Welcomes Progress on Renewable Electricity Generation

East Antrim Alliance MLA, Stewart Dickson, has welcomed news that electricity generated from renewable sources made up almost half of electricity consumption in Northern Ireland in 2020.

According to a report by the Department of the Economy for the 12-month period January 2020 to December 2020, 49.2% of total electricity consumed was generated from renewable sources.

Mr Dickson commented: “Northern Ireland has excellent potential for renewable energy, and I am happy to see that we have reached a record in renewable generation. At almost half our energy consumption we have far surpassed our target of 40% for 2020, and demonstrated that we must set much more ambitious targets for the future.

“Ultimately we must move fully away from fossil fuels to tackle the climate emergency and protect our environment. So there is still much more work to do to further increase our renewable generation, ensuring diversity and security of supply, supporting new generation, decarbonising heating and indeed tackling the considerable challenges of electricity storage.

“It is therefore essential that the Minister for the Economy ensure the upcoming energy strategy is comprehensive and ambitious, so that Northern Ireland can secure a clean and sustainable energy future, as well as the new jobs and investment that the green economy can bring.”