Other organisations and individuals

If you are a Scottish business that falls within the EU definition of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) then you can seek support from Business Energy Scotland.

Through Business Energy Scotland, SME loans of up to £100,000 are available to help you pay for energy and carbon-saving upgrades in your business. You could also receive a cashback grant of up to £20,000.

An SME loan can be used to finance the installation of energy efficient systems, equipment or building fabric, including:

• heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades
• renewable heat technologies such as installing an air source heat pump
• improving insulation, draught-proofing, double or secondary glazing
• installing LED lighting
• installing solar panels, wind turbines and wood-burning stoves.

Find out more on Business Energy Scotland’s website.

Case studies

Here is a selection of CARES case studies and resources that can help you to develop your project.

• East Coast Organics
• Comrie Croft
• Inch Farm
• Stewart Energy

Resources

• Project model: new wind generation (grid connected, above 1MW)
• Solar PV toolkit module

Social housing providers can seek support for heat network projects through the Scottish Government’s Heat Network Fund. Through this programme the Scottish Government is making £300 million available over the next parliamentary session to support the development and rollout of zero emission heat networks across Scotland.

You might also like to use the Green Network for Social Housing to view inspiring case studies of social housing with renewables systems, solid wall insulation or innovative energy efficiency improvements installed.

Case studies

Here is a selection of CARES case studies and resources that can help you to develop your project.

• EastHeat
• Glasgow Housing Association

Resources

• Our guide to installing air source heat pumps for housing associations – this step-by-step toolkit, consisting of a case study and six documents, aims to help housing associations looking to install air source heat pumps in multiple domestic properties.

Local authorities can seek support for heat network projects through the Scottish Government’s Heat Network Fund. Through this programme the Scottish Government is making £300 million available over the next parliamentary session to support the development and rollout of zero emission heat networks across Scotland.

The Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) pilot programme: synthesis evaluation report presents findings from a synthesis evaluation of Scotland’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) pilot programme, which involved pilot projects delivered by all 32 Scottish local authorities.

If you own or rent your home, you can seek support from Home Energy Scotland.

Home Energy Scotland provides a network of local advice centres covering all of Scotland. Its expert advisors offer free, impartial advice on energy saving, keeping warm at home, renewable energy, greener travel, cutting water waste and more. Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust and its mission is to help people in Scotland create warmer homes, reduce their bills and help tackle climate change. There’s plenty of support for registered private landlords looking to improve the energy efficiency of their properties too.

If you would like to install renewables in your home, you might find it helpful to speak to another householder who has done the same. The Green Homes Network features more than 300 homes across Scotland, with homeowners who have installed home renewables and want to share their experiences. The network comprises homes of all kinds; from eco-builds to historic stone cottages, listed buildings and everything in between.

You can also find more advice and case studies about heat pumps on Energy Saving Trust’s website.