Onshore wind turbines in Scotland sent more than 5 million megawatt hours of electricity to the National Grid in the first quarter of 2018, analysis has shown.

WWF Scotland said in an announcement Monday that the figure represented an increase of 44 percent compared to the same period in 2017.

"Renewables have provided an incredible amount of power during the first three months of this year," Sam Gardner, acting director of WWF Scotland, said in a statement.

"An increase of 44 percent on the record-breaking equivalent period in 2017 is clear evidence the investment made in this technology has paid off for the economy and the environment, putting Scotland at the forefront of the fight against climate change," he added.

The analysis comes off the back of data released at the end of March which showed that renewable electricity generation in Scotland grew by 26 percent in 2017. Wind generation in Scotland increased by 34 percent, while hydro was up 9 percent.

Commenting on the figures at the time, Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said they showed "that Scotland's renewable energy sector is stronger than ever and has a strong pipeline of further projects still to be constructed."

The Scottish government has ambitious plans when it comes to renewable energy. By 2020, it wants renewables to produce the equivalent of 100 percent of Scotland's gross annual electricity consumption. It is also aiming for renewables to provide the equivalent of 11 percent of the country's heat demand by 2020.