THE Scottish Government has established a new fund to develop zero-emission heat networks that will help decarbonise Scotland’s homes.
Patrick Harvie, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, announced the new £300m investment in a visit to the Queens Quay heat pump and heat network project in Clydebank on Monday.
The fund will support projects that create communal sources for the heating of individual homes. This is a style of heating more common in European countries but it is hoped it will help Scotland meet its targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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It is hoped the plan will help cut emissions in Scottish buildings by more than two thirds by the end of the decade and to switch more than 1,000,000 homes and the equivalent of 50,000 non-domestic buildings from fossil fuels to zero emission heating.
The new fund takes over from the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and is part of the £1.8 billion that has been set aside by the Scottish Government to decarbonise how buildings are heated.
During his visit, Harvie also announced the opening of applications for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Development fund and the extension of funding for “Fabric First” energy efficiency projects in social housing.
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The project will be designed to assist small and medium sized registered social landlords who require support in delivering zero-emissions heating within their properties. The Fabric First funding pot for home energy improvements has also been extended for another two years.
Harvie said: “The Heat Network Fund will accelerate the development of heat networks across Scotland as we move towards our ambitious targets set by the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021.
“The projects that receive support from the Fund will fully align with the Scottish Government’s aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.
“We can’t reach these targets alone. We know how important increasing private and community investment will be alongside investment from the Scottish Government, that is why we have established the Green Heat Finance Taskforce.
“The Taskforce brings together leading voices and expertise from the building, finance and energy sectors and aims to identify and develop solutions to deliver the overall investment that’s needed to meet our vital goals for cutting emissions from homes and buildings.”
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