Scottish government has made available £10 million to assist innovative local energy projects in rural parts of Scotland.
Projects that have the potential to increase energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and boost local economies will be able to apply for up to £100,000 from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP), the Scottish government informed.
The funding is expected to support the costs of developing investment-ready business cases.
The funding round targets rural and remote areas in order to help bridge gaps in capacity, skills and resources, underlining the Scottish government’s support for smart, local energy systems as detailed in the draft Energy Strategy.
Paul Wheelhouse , Scotland’s Minster for Business, Innovation and Energy, said: “The low carbon and renewable energy sector has been a major driver of Scotland’s economy in recent years, supporting 43,500 jobs. Many of these are in rural areas, where we have developed expertise in solar, wave, offshore wind and tidal, as well as more established technologies such as hydro and onshore wind.
“Our recently published draft Energy Strategy sets out our vision for 2050 for Scotland to have a modern, integrated energy system that delivers reliable, low carbon energy at affordable prices to consumers in all parts of Scotland.”
The LCITP is a working partnership between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Futures Trust and sector specialists.