The Scottish whisky industry is patting itself on the back and pouring a wee dram after confirming that it has achieved a challenging renewable energy goal several years ahead of schedule.

In 2009, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) created an environmental strategy designed to lessen the reliance on fossil fuels across its member base and encourage greater adoption of clean and green renewable energies.

As a result of its work to promote the benefits, and the enthusiasm of makers to invest in new technologies and to cut their carbon footprints, the use of renewables has grown to a whopping 21pc in 2016 from just 3pc in 2008.

Greenhouse gas emissions have also reduced by 22pc in the last 10 years and at the same time the proportion of recycled material being incorporated into whisky packaging has grown to 44pc.

Karen Betts, the SWA CEO, said that Scotland's whisky industry was one of its oldest and also most successful for global exports but that the latest results for environmentalism showed how it was also ready to embrace technology, innovation and change.

The industry is not planning to stop there either and has a programme of goals to work towards in 2020. The SWA is planning to continue to work with its member producers, supply chain and other stakeholders to deliver its challenging and ambitious sustainability agenda.

Roseanna Cunningham, the Environment Secretary, said that it was encouraging to see the healthy progress that Scotland's whisky industry had enjoyed to date in slashing carbon emissions and creating greater sustainability efficiencies. She said that the measures they had taken, including the reduction of water waste, the introduction of recycled packaging and the switch to renewable energies, were things that the government would encourage other sectors to follow.