The funding allocation, from the Local Energy Challenge Fund, was announced by the Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing at the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) conference organised by Local Energy Scotland.
The successful recipients are as follows:
- £1.8 million to Community Energy Scotland to develop viable grid connections for small scale generators in areas of constrained network on Mull.
- £6 million to Insch Renewable Energy Consortium to develop a community energy system linking local energy demand with local renewable generation in a rural area of Aberdeenshire – helping to reduce electricity costs.
- £3.2 million to Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association to develop innovative local heat storage solutions, which will help alleviate fuel poverty for over 1,000 tenants across Falkirk and the Lothians.
- £6 million to Highland Council to provide low carbon affordable heat and alleviate fuel poverty via a water source heat pump district heating network in Caol near Fort William – benefiting over 500 homes.
- £4 million to Bright Green Hydrogen to use hydrogen to meet local transport, heating and storage needs across Levenmouth.
“
The Scottish Government is defining a distinctive approach to Scotland’s future energy provision: putting communities at the heart of decisions about their local energy system, and empowering them to take an economic stake in new developments," Mr Ewing said. "“These projects are a huge step towards defining a distinctive approach to Scotland’s future energy provision. They will provide vital learning across extremely challenging areas, such as adding value to local economies, matching local supply and demand, and addressing fuel poverty."
In addition to the awarding of the funds Mr Ewing also confirmed the
Challenge Fund will be open for a second round. “We want to support more innovations like these," he noted. "This is why the Scottish Government will run a second Challenge Fund, subject to the next spending round, making up to £500,000 will be available in 2015/2016.
The Scottish Government also plans to publish its consultation on Good Practice Principles on Shared Ownership of Onshore Developments.