Renewable Energy - Scottish renewable energy grants increased

10/04/2008

Scottish homeowners and community groups will find it easier to install renewable energy technologies after the government increased the funding of relevant grants.

Grants of up to £4,000 are available to homeowners to fit green energy products such as solar water heating and heat pumps, while community organisations can apply for as much as £100,000.

To aid the country's plan of reducing carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, Scottish finance secretary John Swinney announced the funding towards microgeneration systems will be tripled by the extra £13.5 million support.

Speaking at Scottish Renewables' annual conference, he said: "The Scottish government is putting in place the incentives for people to generate their own clean energy and make a contribution to Scotland's sustainable energy future."

The homeowner scheme will be managed by the Energy Saving Trust and applicants will have to prove they are operating in an energy efficient manner before they are approved.

Figures from the University of Strathclyde show that the average Scottish home contributes almost 1,670 kilograms, or the weight of a large family car, in carbon dioxide each year through electricity use.