The Scottish government has opened a £30 million fund for low-carbon heating projects announced by first minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this month as part of its legislative agenda for the coming year.
Applicants will be able to bid for grants of up £10 million or half of the total eligible costs of their project.
“It’s estimated that Scotland’s homes are responsible for the emission of six million tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every year – 15 per cent of all emissions,” said Scotland’s energy minister Paul Wheelhouse.
“In order to meet Scotland’s ambitious proposed climate change targets, we estimate that nearly every Scottish home – unless already on a renewable heat supply – will need to have a change to its heating system by 2045, if not before.
“The Scottish government is already making inroads to that target, by committing to ensuring that all new homes use renewable or low carbon heat by 2024, but we also want to create an environment where existing homes transition to renewable solutions as well.
“The problem is too big for the government to tackle on its own, so we are tapping into the significant expertise and talent that exists within Scotland – giving people the means to take the initiative and effect change through deployment of innovative, low carbon approaches to heating.”
The fund forms part of the wider Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme being delivered by the Scottish government in partnership Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Futures Trust.