£16.2m funding to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties
New funding has been announced to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties, as the Scottish Government continues to focus on delivering its net zero targets and support families with the cost of living.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie announced £16.2 million funding for five zero emission heat networks.
The announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group signing the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together to build a green economic recovery from COVID, respond to the climate emergency and create a fairer country.
The Agreement set out a strategy for over a million homes to be using zero carbon heating systems by the end of the decade and allocating funds from a total planned investment of £1.8 billion to cut energy bills, improved building energy efficiency and reduce climate emissions.
Scotland’s Heat Network Fund offers long term funding support to deliver more climate-friendly ways of heating Scotland’s homes and buildings. It has enabled the rollout of new zero emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.
The allocations include:
The Halo Kilmarnock (£1.3m) - Low carbon heating for 138 new homes from ground source heat pumps with shared ground loops and air source heat pumps.
City of Edinburgh Council (£4.1m) - Heat network using air and water source heat pumps to provide heat to 444 new homes at the Granton Waterfront Western Villages development.
Peel NRE Developments (£5.1m) - Heat network using a water source heat pump system to provide heat to 1,100 new apartments and new non-domestic buildings including the Therme leisure centre and a 200-bed hotel at the Glasgow Waters development.
LAR Housing Trust (£128,000) - Low carbon heating for 14 new affordable homes in central Edinburgh using a shared ground loop and heat pumps.
Aberdeen City Council (£5.6m) - Phase 2 of the Torry Heat Network which will deliver recovered waste heat to at least 556 social houses and a new build school with swimming pool as well as other private owner connections.
The First Minister said:
“Action is needed now to support communities to respond to the cost of living and climate crises, and Scotland’s Heat Network Fund is just one of the many initiatives that the Scottish Government has already undertaken. The projects that receive support from the Fund will fully align with the Scottish Government’s aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.
Mr Harvie said:
“The energy crisis households across Scotland now face is being driven by rocketing prices for gas, which we depend on for heat. We are clear that we need to redouble our efforts to improve the efficiency of our homes, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run, and end our reliance on gas for heat. That’s why we are investing £1.8 billion in our green homes and buildings programme.
“Delivering a just transition to net-zero and seizing the opportunities this presents is a major focus of the Scottish Government, and rapidly increasing Scotland’s renewable energy generating capacity and securing accompanying jobs and investment will be central to our work over the rest of the parliament.
“During the first year of the Agreement firm foundations have been built, demonstrating delivery and progress on shared policy priorities and adopting an approach that is both challenging and constructive.”
Scotland’s Heat Network Fund
Scotland’s Heat Network Fund is open to all public and private sector applicants. Proposals can be submitted to the fund at any time. This fund will remain open to proposals with quarterly reports to be provided with committed spend against the allocated budget.
Projects seeking support through Scotland’s Heat Network Fund should complete the expression of interest form and provide this to HeatNetworkFund@gov.scot. The project lead will then be contacted within 10 working days by a member of the Heat Investment team to have for a preliminary discussion.