GBP13.7 million for renewable energy for households

The new Clear Skies Initiative will provide advice and grants of between £500 and £5,000 to homeowners, and up to £100,000 to community organisations, using accredited installers. The fund will support solar water heating, wind, hydro, ground source heat pumps, automated wood pellet stoves, and wood fuel boilers.

North of the border, the new Scottish Community Renewables Initiative is offering 30% of the cost of installation of renewable energy generation to households to a maximum of £4,000 on expenditure of up to £13,300. In addition to technologies eligible elsewhere in the UK, Scottish households that are not connected to the electricity grid will also be able to obtain grants for solar photovoltaics. Communities will be able to obtain grants of up to £10,000, and capital grants of up to £100,000.

The Scottish Executive recently debated raising renewable energy targets from 30% to 40% by 2020 (see related story).

The Government launched a similar fund in March last year, giving £20 million in grants for solar power to be installed in homes and offices, part of the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme (see related story).

“Renewable energy can be about thinking small as well as big,” said Energy Minister Brian Wilson. The initiative will allow community groups and homeowners to bring forward useful projects, he added.