The number of Scottish companies, communities and farms generating their own electricity has risen by more than 50% in the last year.

New figures show £80.8m was invested in 775 green technologies – up from just 509 in 2013.

They included wind (497), hydro (173), solar (32) and anaerobic digestion (43).

The projects generated £271 million worth of electricity a year – enough to power more than 1.4 million households, according to SmartestEnergy.

Its report also revealed more than £1.1 million a day was invested in the independent renewables sector in the UK.

Stephanie Clark, Policy Manager at industry body Scottish Renewables, said: “This report shows quite clearly that there is a growing willingness to consider renewable technology as a way to fix energy bills rather than exposing a business or community to fluctuations in the wholesale cost of fossil fuel energy supplied from the grid.”