Scotland has embraced solar energy more than most other nations making the availability of grants for solar panels in Scotland by the government and other private companies.
The Scots, who have set an ambitious goal to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, have realized the enormous potential of renewable energy and are embracing it.
Currently, the country has more than 56,000 homes with solar PV systems and each home was given grants for solar panels in Scotland.
Furthermore, according to a forecast from Solar Energy UK, Scotland’s installed solar power capacity would soar to a mind-blowing 1.5 gigawatts (or 1.5 billion watts) by 2030.
Thankfully, the Scottish government has made it quite simple for Scots to get solar panels and take part in the so-called “renewables revolution.”
In this article, we’ll go over all there is to know about grants for solar panels in Scotland and the Feed-in Tariff’s replacement.
Table of Contents
- Are there grants for solar panels in Scotland?
- Do solar panels work in Scotland?
- Will I find a solar installation company in Scotland?
- 15 Best grants for solar panels in Scotland
- 1. ECO4 Scheme
- 2. Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
- 3. Reduced VAT for Energy-Saving Products
- 4. Domestic RHI
- 5. Feed-In Tariff (FIT)
- 6. Free Solar Panel Scheme
- 7. Home Energy Scotland Loan
- 8. Community and Renewable Energy Scheme
- 9. Local Authority Flexible Eligibility (LA Flex)
- 10. Warmer Homes Scotland
- 11. Green Deal Loans
- 12. Barclays Greener Home Reward
- 13. Energy Efficiency Financing scheme (EEF)
- 14. Energy Saving Trust (HEEPS)
- 15. Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF)
- FAQs
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
Are there grants for solar panels in Scotland?
Government grants for solar panels in Scotland are no longer available, but you can still get an interest-free loan or a private grant.
The Scottish government supported the Energy Savings Scotland Home Renewables until 2010.
With this program, homeowners were given substantial grants for solar panels in Scotland; if chosen, they might get up to 30% of the installation fee (up to £4,000).
After 2010, the award was abandoned and the Home Energy Scotland Loan took its place.
See also – Africa No Filter Project Support Grants 2024 (Up to $25,000)
Do solar panels work in Scotland?
Think again if you believe that the weather in Scotland would not be suitable for producing solar energy.
First off, it’s important to remember that sunlight is not a prerequisite for solar panels. Without direct sunshine, photovoltaic cells can still function and continue to generate electricity on cloudy days. The need for daylight cannot be overstated.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical 3 kWp solar PV system in Scotland produces roughly 2,300 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually. This accounts for roughly 79% of the electricity used by a typical household. This can make grants for solar panels in Scotland worth you time.
Additionally, Scotland has recently experienced a number of exceptionally sunny summers. Solar energy in Scotland has a very promising future.
See also – How To Apply For College Grants: Step-By-Step Guide
Will I find a solar installation company in Scotland?
Yes, You’ve picked a great time to start using the sun to power your home if grants for solar panels in Scotland or Home Energy Scotland Loan have stoked your desires.
After all, our most recent National Home Energy Survey found that 65% of consumers would now purchase a home with solar panels.
Finding out how much solar panels will cost you is the next step.
Fortunately, we can greatly simplify this step. Simply fill out this quick form, and our skilled installers will contact you shortly with free quotations so you can compare them.
15 Best grants for solar panels in Scotland
1. ECO4 Scheme
Energy Company Obligation 4, or ECO4, took the place of ECO3 on April 1, 2024, and will last until March 20, 2026. The government has earmarked 4 billion pounds—1 billion over 4 years—to increase Scottish households’ energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. The difference between ECO4 and ECO3 is that more people will be given the opportunity to qualify thanks to LA Flex or flexible eligibility.
The program went into effect on July 27, 2024, although qualified measures installed between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2026, are eligible for ECO4.
Visit their website here
2. Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is still in place as of the first of the year 2020. It makes it possible for small, low-carbon electricity producers to get paid for any extra energy they export back to the grid.
All licensed providers are now required to provide their clients with an export tariff, even though this is not a direct government grant. Suppliers with more than 150,000 clients must offer a tariff; those with fewer clients may choose to participate freely.
Solar panels are an excellent example of a green home improvement project thanks to this incentive.
Visit their website here
3. Reduced VAT for Energy-Saving Products
Homes in Scotland will now enjoy zero VAT on the purchase of materials and their installation as of April 2024.
The VAT-free period expires after five years, and the rate then goes back to 5%. Thus, the elimination of the VAT in addition to the grants for solar panels puts householders one step closer to obtaining renewable energy sources than ever before.
Visit their website here
4. Domestic RHI
On March 31, 2024, the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) closed to new applications. Homes could save up to £2,981 on solar thermal panels thanks to the RHI.
Since then, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has taken its place (BUS). BUS, meanwhile, is meant for replacing solar panels with heat pumps and biomass boilers.
You can save up to £2,981 on solar thermal panels by using the Domestic RHI. Solar thermal, in contrast to solar PV, doesn’t produce electricity but has two key benefits.
They heat your water using solar energy, which may then be provided to your faucets and showers as well as used as a wet central heating system.
Visit their website here
5. Feed-In Tariff (FIT)
Initiated in 2010, the Feed-in Tariff operated well for several years. Those who are now registered will continue to get benefits from the FIT scheme even though it stopped accepting new applications in 2019.
For each unit (kilowatt per hour) of power they create and for any excess energy they sell back to the grid, participants in this program receive a specified amount of money.
Visit their website here
6. Free Solar Panel Scheme
In the past, you could get solar panels for free from companies that would rent your roof space for up to 25 years if you couldn’t afford to buy them. With this plan, a business would offer to give away solar panels and handle installation and maintenance at no cost in exchange for Feed-in Tariff (FIT) payments.
As an alternative, a program known as “solar buyback” has emerged. Under this program, businesses offer homeowners a lump sum upfront in exchange for collecting the FIT payments the homeowners would have otherwise received.
7. Home Energy Scotland Loan
Residents of Scotland who want to make improvements to their home’s sustainable energy use can apply for the Home Energy Scotland Loan.
This loan can be utilized for a variety of projects, not just the installation of solar panels, and some of them include:
Wind turbines, heat pumps, solar power, and other forms of renewable energy.
Triple and double glazing are included in the additional installation.
Enhanced boilers are one example of a heating system.
There are loans up to £5,000 available to help with the upfront costs of installing solar panels.
Depending on the quantity of the loan given, this loan can be repaid over a period of 5 to 10 years entirely interest-free.
Visit their website here
8. Community and Renewable Energy Scheme
Scottish local energy initiatives can receive financial assistance under the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) of the Scottish Government.
CARES works on behalf of Local Energy Scotland to provide financing for a variety of community projects involving energy efficiency improvements, such as heat decarbonization and creating renewable energy, albeit it is not a solar panel grant that people can apply for.
Visit their website here
The government has expanded the authority of local authorities to pay for energy-efficient home improvements because, according to the ECO4 study, more than 46% of fuel-poor households do not receive subsidies.
This enables local authorities to broaden the eligibility requirements and customize them for their particular region.
You can submit applications for LA Flex to your local government, and it is available to both private tenants and homeowners.
Visit their website here
10. Warmer Homes Scotland
For Scottish homeowners and private tenants who have resided at the same property for a year or more, the Scottish Government’s Warmer Homes Scotland program provides energy-saving home modifications.
Assessors can recommend solar panels among other acceptable upgrades, and in most circumstances, the government will cover the cost. There are loans available with no interest if you must make a contribution.
Visit their website here
11. Green Deal Loans
Loans are still accessible through a certified Green Deal supplier, despite the fact that the original Green Deal lending program was shut down in 2015.
A Green Deal loan is different from a standard loan in that the former can be repaid through your electricity bill, with repayments never going over the bill savings you are anticipated to achieve by making energy-saving changes.
If the present owner of the property moves out, the new occupant—or whoever is responsible for paying the property’s energy bills—takes on the repayments while the tenants of the property gain from the energy-efficient modifications.
Visit their website here
12. Barclays Greener Home Reward
If you currently have a residential mortgage with Barclays, you may qualify for assistance with the purchase of solar panels and other home renovations utilizing renewable energy via the Greener Homes Reward program.
Homeowners can receive £1,000 toward the cost of solar panels, however it is now a test program that won’t end until May 1, 2024.
Visit their website here
13. Energy Efficiency Financing scheme (EEF)
The EEF, which was established by the investment group Siemens and the Carbon Trust, provides subsidies for renewable energy projects and loans with 0% interest to small and medium-sized businesses.
The EEF offers £550 million in solar financing, first come, first served. Loans are extended for seven years and begin at one thousand pounds.
Visit their website here
14. Energy Saving Trust (HEEPS)
The HEEPS loan program is open to both homeowners and landlords and gives assistance with interest-free loans, tax savings, and bonuses.
It also occasionally provides support for making homes warmer or less expensive to heat.
Visit their website here
15. Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF)
The RCEF is a $15 million community fund created to support workable local renewable energy initiatives.
The program, which was created especially for rural communities, provides grants of up to £150,000 to initiatives that benefit the neighborhood both economically and socially.
Visit their website here
See also – Merck Research Grants 2024 -2024
FAQs
In Scotland, a government loan and an additional incentive are currently available for solar panels and solar batteries if householders adopt a number of energy-saving measures. The Home Energy Scotland loan and the requirements for eligibility are covered in greater detail below.
The Incentive for Renewable Heat (RHI). The RHI is a government program that, as the name implies, encourages the use of renewable energy sources. If the solar thermal panels are certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), they can be purchased through this program.
A typical 3 kWp solar PV system in Scotland is thought to produce roughly 2,300 kWh of electricity annually, according to the Energy Saving Trust. This represents almost 79% of the average household’s electricity consumption.
Conclusion
The bulk of the cost of solar panel installation may be recovered via ECO4 grants for solar panels in Scotland. If you qualify as a homeowner, you may also be able to recover the cost of other energy-saving improvements like insulation.
Additionally, you may make money by using your solar panels to produce extra electricity thanks to the Smart Export Guarantee which makes grants for solar panels in Scotland very beneficial.
Keep up to date with grants for solar panels in Scotland in order to maximize your savings. This article routinely evaluated solar panel financing, and our content is updated to reflect the most recent legislative changes.
References
- Greenmatch.co.uk – All Solar Panel Grants and Schemes in the UK 2024
- Expertsure.com – Government Solar Panel Grants & Subsidies
See also – HEERF Emergency Grants 2024 at University of Texas in USA
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