Funding for Green Renewable Energy Users

CRC (Carbon Reduction Commitment) Energy Efficiency Scheme

An incentive for large public and private sector energy users to reduce their carbon emissions.

More on the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme

Carbon Trust/Siemens: Energy Efficiency Financing

Loan scheme for businesses, designed to encourage them to purchase energy efficient equipment, thereby reducing overall energy consumption. Loans at competitive rates are available from a minimum of £1,000, with no upper limit. Businesses of any size may apply for a loan

Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES)

Community Energy Scotland delivers the Scottish Government's Community and Renewable Energy Scheme. The Scottish Government wishes to maximise local ownership of renewable energy generation projects and to increase the benefits for communities that these projects can provide.

More on the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme

Central Energy Efficiency Fund

Loan scheme for public sector bodies to bring about energy efficiency and small-scale renewable energy measures. The scheme applies to all Scottish local authorities and health boards as well as Scottish Water. This scheme directly finances projects that deliver energy, cost and carbon savings with the monetary savings being returned to the central fund to finance further energy efficiency improvements.

More on the Central Energy Efficiency Fund

Climate Challenge Fund (CCF)

The Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) provides support for community-led projects to reduce carbon emissions. 10% of the available money is intended for Junior CCF to support projects working with young people.

Climate Change Levy

Tax incentive for businesses, charities/not for profit organisations and public sector bodies. The Climate Change Levy is a tax on energy. Electricity generated from new renewable energy and good quality combined heat and power (CHP) schemes are exempt.

Enhanced Capital Allowance

Tax incentive for businesses where they claim 100% first-year capital allowances on energy saving plant and machinery. PLEASE NOTE, you cannot claim ECA as well as the Renewable Heat Incentive, if you wish to claim the RHI you cannot claim the ECA. More on ECAs - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enhanced-capital-allowance-scheme-for-energy-saving-technologies

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Incentive for businesses to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Puts a cap CO2 emitted by business and creates a market and price for carbon allowances.

LEADER

Grants for charities/not for profit organisations. Aimed at local projects with a wide community benefit that show an element of originality or experimentation, and complement other activities within the local development strategy. LEADER is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Renewable Heat Incentive

Index linked quarterly payments for renewable heat output to businesses, charities/not for profit, and public bodies over 20 years. Until March 2014, private individuals will receive a Renewable Heat Premium Payment for domestic renewable heat installations, thereafter they will move onto the domestic tariff scheme, which will run for 7 years.

Renewables Obligation (Scotland)

Income incentive for businesses, charities/not for profit organisations and public bodies generating renewable electricity. Renewables Obligations Certificates (ROCs) are issued for each MWh of renewable electricity generated. UK electricity suppliers are obliged to buy a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources.

More on Renewables Obligation (Scotland)

Scottish Government's District Heating Loan Fund

The Scottish Government’s district heating loan fund provides loans for both low carbon and renewable technologies to help organisations implement district heating projects to benefit local communities.

More on the Scottish Government's District Heating Loan Fund

Scottish Government funding for green technologies

A total of £10 m of funding has been announced (28th February 2012) to support projects at leading Scottish universities and colleges to help develop low carbon technologies. The emphasis is on collaborative working between academic institutions and SMEs, and the six projects will be open to SMEs from a wide range of industries. The six projects are the Energy Technology partnership (ETP), which will co-ordinate all six projects, Collaborative Innovative Networks (COINS), LoCal-Net, RenewNet, National Biofuel Resource Centre and the Energy Technology Centre.

More on funding for green technology projects

ScottishPower Green Energy Trust

Grants for local community groups and charities/not for profit organisations to install renewable technologies. Grants are for up to half the cost, with a maximum of £25,000. Most projects receive around £10,000 - the maximum amount is only awarded to exceptional projects. The Trust meets twice a year to consider applications - usually during the first week of April and October. Applications should be submitted as soon as possible.

More on applying to the Green Energy Trust

Energy Savings Trust Home Renewables Loan Scheme

An interest free loan from the Scottish Government which could help you install a renewable woodfuel heating system. Interest free loans of up to £10,000 for heat generating renewables systems such as heat pumps, biomass boilers and solar thermal are available under this scheme. These renewable heat loans will have a repayment period of up to 8 years.

More on the EST Home Renewables Loan Scheme

Warm Homes Fund

A £50 million pound Scottish Government initiative (running 2012-2017) which aims to provide loan funding for renewable energy projects (including district heating) to support communities in fuel poverty.

Further information

Re-Energise Finance

The £5 million scheme to help firms become more energy efficient has was launched September 2013. Firms will be able to apply for funding of £25,000 to £250,000 to finance projects using technology involving biomass, wind turbines and solar photovoltaic cells.

Renewable Energy Investment Fund

The Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF) helps promote the use of energy from renewable sources and drive further investment into key areas of Scotland’s renewables industry. Alongside private sector parties, REIF will provide innovative interventions tailored to individual project requirements and is expected to significantly accelerate access to finance for key projects in the renewables sector that have demonstrable funding gaps.

For more on the Renewable Energy Investment Fund

Green Homes Cash Back Scheme

The Scottish Government is offering owner occupiers, private and social tenants and private sector landlords up to £1,200 towards energy efficiency measures that are recommended in the Green Deal assessment. Up to £500 is available for insulation measures, up to £400 for a boiler and up to £300 for other measures (such as glazing, LED lighting and heating controls).

More on the Green Homes Cash Back Scheme

The Funding Circle

The Government is lending £20m to British businesses. Side-step lengthy processes and borrow from a community of 50,000 people together with the Government*, councils and universities. Funding Circle has helped over 2,000 businesses access over £150m.

Heat Network Funding for Local Authorities

The Government has launched a £6 million funding stream to support Local Authorities to develop low carbon heat networks. The fund is administered by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). They are keen to support plans for networks that draw their heat energy (immediately or in the future) from renewable, sustainable or recoverable sources as an alternative to or to complement gas CHP.

More on Heat Networking Funding for Local Authorities

Resource Efficient Scotland SME Loans

Fixed rate SME loans of £1,000 to £100,000 help businesses to reduce their carbon emissions, save money and increase their competitiveness. A wide range of measures can be the subject of a loan application (e.g. lighting, glazing, biomass boilers).

For more on the Resource Efficient Scotland SME Loans, click here

Ignite Social Investment Fund

Ignite is the UK's first impact investment fund with a focus on energy. Ignite believe that energy entrepreneurs have a vital role to play in building a better society and are there to help them achieve their potential. Ignite will make investments in the UK of between £50k and £2m over the next ten years (2014-2024).

More on the Ignite Social Investment Fund

West of Scotland Loan Fund

This loan scheme is available to existing SMEs and start-ups in the west of Scotland. The interest rate is fixed and is currently 5% per annum. Loans of up to £100,000 will be considered with usual payback period of seven years

Morer on the West of Scotland Loan Fund

East of Scotland Investment Fund

Open to SMEs in the East of Scotland, this scheme covers resource efficiency measures under ‘Working Capital’; anything which will enhance the growth and sustainability of the business.

For more on the East of Scotland Investment Fund

Scottish Loan Fund

This loan is larger than it's regional counterparts, providing finance of between £250,000 and £5m. It is attractive to SMEs because of its flexibility, for example offering payback periods of between 3 and 7 years.

For more on the Scottish Loan Fund

Highland Opportunity Funding

This fund provides a variety low-interest loans to businesses in the Highlands including those for community and youth enterprises. Resource efficiency measures may be covered under working capital, equipment costs or refurbishment of premises.

For more on the Highland Opportunity Fund

Aberdeenshire Sustainable Business Grants

This scheme provides grants of up to £7,500, or 50% of project costs (whichever is lower) to install environmentally sustainable business processes or encourage good practice in renewable energy, energy or waste management, efficient use of resources, recycling or establishing sustainable working practices.

For more on the Aberdeenshire Sustainable Business Grants

Resilient Scotland

Resilient Scotland’s JESSICA Trust is committed to growing the social investment sector in 13 designated Local Authority areas across Scotland. Their investment packages provide community organisations with new sources of capital, giving them the opportunity to operate on a more sustainable footing.

For more on Resilient Scotland funding

Green Investment Bank

The Green Invcstment Bank (GIB) have £3.8bn of capital to invest in green infrastructure, provided by the UK Government, of which 20% is available for renewable heat, marine energy, carbon capture and storage, biomass power and transport biofuels.

For more on the Green Investment Bank

Home Energy Scotland Renewable Loan Scheme

Interest free loans of up to £10,000 from the Scottish Government are available for owner occupiers in Scotland who want to install a domestic renewables system or to connect to a district heating scheme powered from a renewable energy source.

More on Home Energy Scotland Renewable Loan Scheme

Co2 Sense

Through providing flexible finance CO2Sense works to support small scale (0.5-5MW) renewable energy projects in the UK. Their ethical investments support the costs of development as far as construction. All the proceeds from these investments are reinvested to further encourage sustainable development. They support both commercial and community scale projects.

Share Energy

Sharenergy is a not-for-profit co-operative which helps organisations to set up renewable energy Societies. Sharenergy pioneered the renewable heat Society in the UK and has provided support for several community share offers raising capital for woodheat ESCos.

Resource Efficient Scotland Implementation Fund 2015/16

The Resource Efficient Scotland Programme, delivered by Zero Waste Scotland, is offering funding support during 2015/16 to support Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME’s) and third sector organisations who wish to implement resource efficiency improvements within their organisations

More on the Resource Efficient Scotland Implementation Fund 2015/16

Loans, incentives and grants for wood fuel users