Grants For Renewables

Renewable technologies like solar panels and heat pumps can save us money on our energy bills and reduce the carbon emissions from our homes. 

To help with the move to green energy in Scotland, the government are offering grants to make renewables more affordable. These include:  

• Heat pump grants 
• Solar panel grants 
• Biomass boiler grants 

Once you have renewables in your home, it’s possible to get paid for generating green energy. You can sell the electricity produced by your solar panels (or other renewable tech) to the grid as part of the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme. 

Find out more about home efficiency grants and energy efficiency schemes for renewables below.   

Home Energy Scotland Grant 

The Home Energy Scotland Grant covers both energy efficiency upgrades and renewable technology. Homeowners can get: 

• Grants for solar panels – maximum grant funding of £1,250. This is available when taken as part of a package of measures 
• Grants for heat pumps (both ground and air source) – maximum grant funding of £9,000
• Grants for biomass boilers – maximum grant funding of £9,000. This is available if a heat pump is unsuitable for your property

Homeowners who live in a remote or rural area can get extra grant funding for renewables.

For the most up-to-date information about the grant, visit Home Energy Scotland’s grants and loan page. Alternatively, you can call Home Energy Scotland free on 0808 808 2282.

Home Energy Scotland Loan 

Home Energy Scotland offer an interest-free loan which can be used alongside their grant funding.  

The Home Energy Scotland Loan can also help pay for renewables which aren’t covered by the grant. These include: 

• Solar water heating systems
• Hydro or wind turbines  
• Connection to a renewable heat network 

If you’re interested in the Home Energy Scotland Loan, call Home Energy Scotland for free on 0808 808 2282 to find out more.  

Warmer Homes Scotland 

The Warmer Homes Scotland scheme funds a range of energy efficiency upgrades, including renewables. A survey of your home helps decide which changes would make the biggest improvements.  

All the costs are usually covered by the Scottish Government. The company who surveys your home will also arrange for the work to be carried out.  

If you’d like to check your eligibility for Warmer Home Scotland, you can find the criteria on the Home Energy Scotland website. If you’d prefer to talk to someone over the phone, you can call their freephone number on 0808 808 2282. 

Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) 

Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES: ABS) use government funding to improve the energy efficiency of homes across Scotland.  

There are EES: ABS which offer: 

• Grants for solar panels 
• Air source heat pump grants 

These grants mean you can get renewables for free or at heavily discounted rates. 

Find out if there’s an Area Based Scheme running near you

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) pays you for any renewable electricity you send to the national grid. To qualify for the payment, the electricity you export needs to come from: 

• Solar photovoltaic (solar PV) panels 
• A wind turbine 
• Micro combined heat and power (micro-CHP) 
• Hydro power Anaerobic digestion (AD) 

Which energy suppliers offer SEG tariffs? 

Energy suppliers with 150,000 customers or more have to offer at least one smart export guarantee tariff. Different energy suppliers have different SEG tariffs, so make sure to shop around for the best smart export guarantee rates. 

The following energy suppliers have to offer a SEG tariff. Click the links below to find out more about that supplier’s specific scheme: 

• British Gas SEG  
• E Energy SEG 
• E.ON Next SEG 
• EDF SEG 
• Octopus SEG 
• OVO SEG 
• Scottish Power SEG 
• Shell SEG 
• So Energy SEG 
• The Utility Warehouse SEG 
• Utilita SEG 

We’re also aware of one energy supplier – Pozitive Energy – that offers a SEG tariff voluntarily.