Scottish Executive announces extension of renewable energy scheme

The Scottish Executive has announced a £6.6 million extension to the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) to cover the next three years.

Set up in 2002, the SCHRI provides grants and expert advice on small scale renewable projects, such as the installation of solar panels and wind turbines at the likes of community centres, schools and individual households.

Deputy First Minister Jim Wallace said the decision to continue supporting SCHRI would give more people the chance to do their bit in the battle against climate change.

He was speaking during a visit to Great Western Road Housing Development, in Kirkwall, where Orkney Housing Association has used SCHRI money to install ground source heat pumps.

"The decision to fund this excellent scheme for a further three years demonstrates our commitment to put green issues at the heart of our policies.

"It is also good news for the renewable energy industry - which is an increasingly important part of the economy with the potential to create thousands of jobs.

"We have made growing the economy our top priority - but not at the expense of the environment. Our support for renewable energy and the Green Jobs strategy we will publish early in the new year is ample demonstration of this.

"However, government cannot tackle problems like climate change on its own. We need everyone to make a contribution if we are to reduce the harmful emissions that contribute to global warming.

"This is where SCHRI will prove crucial. The grants provided allow individuals or communities to install devices such as heat pumps, solar panels or wind turbines which generate power without harming the environment.

"Take-up of SCHRI so far has been hugely encouraging and I am delighted the scheme will run for another three years.

"Already, some 452 small scale renewable projects have been helped with grants that total more than £3.3 million. I urge people to take advantage of the opportunities the extension of the SCHRI will create and help us shape a greener future for Scotland."

The SCHRI has two elements:

• an advisory service to provide expertise, advice and development support to community organisations, including councils, schools, housing associations and voluntary groups;
• and a scheme of capital grants available for both communities and householders.

The service for communities is run on the Executive's behalf by the Energy Savings Trust (EST) in the lowland area and by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in their area. The householder scheme is run on an all-Scotland basis by EST.

The scheme has 11 local advisers in post providing coverage across Scotland. It supports a range of technologies, for both electricity generation and the production of heat.

Currently, 235 community projects had been awarded funding of around £3 million; 131 of these projects had been completed.

Another 217 awards amounting in total to £374,046 have been made to householders; 107 of these projects have been completed.

Funding for SCHRI will continue at the current funding level - a total of £2.2 million per year - and the scheme will continue until the end of financial year 2007-08.

Orkney Housing Association's (OHA) Heat Pump Project saw the first heat pump in Scotland to be installed with help from the Executive through SCHRI.