Energy projects win funding

Councils are to be allocated £4.4 million in funding to spend on innovative ways to reduce emissions and tackle fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government funding will enable pilot energy projects to go ahead - including a district heating system in Argyll and Bute and the development of Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies for Scotland’s five biggest cities, led by Aberdeen City Council.

The pilot projects are part of a larger package totalling £12m which will be made available through Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) which starts in full in 2018.

However, energy charities have warned that the overall energy budget is not set to rise.

Norman Kerr, director of Energy action Scotland said: “Energy Action Scotland’s fear is that we forget the plight of the fuel poor and move our endeavours over onto the low hanging fruit of the business sector.”

Paul Wheelhouse, minister for business, innovation and energy, said: “A number of these projects will have a material impact on people’s lives.”