More Scottish communities can own their clean power

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-12 09:22 3 min read

Wind turbines silhouetted against a dramatic sunset on a Scottish hillside.

Scotland’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) will have £15 million available in 2026, expanding support for community groups seeking to generate renewable power or reduce the energy costs of their buildings.

The Scottish Government says eligible projects can include onshore wind, solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage. Support is provided through grants and loans, alongside advice for groups developing renewable energy, cleaner heating and energy-efficiency projects.

By the Beehive Web editorial team | Source: Scottish Government News

£15 million will support locally owned energy projects

The higher CARES allocation is intended to help more organisations invest in renewable infrastructure that they can own and benefit from locally. That could mean producing electricity through solar or onshore wind, replacing carbon-intensive heating with heat pumps, or storing locally generated power in batteries.

For community centres and similar buildings, the immediate objective is practical: reducing energy consumption and bills while lowering carbon emissions. The announcement does not specify individual grant limits, application deadlines or how many additional projects the larger fund is expected to support.

The National Lottery Community Fund will complement Scottish Government funding with a further £2 million per year. The source does not state whether every CARES applicant can access that contribution or how it will be allocated between projects.

More Scottish communities can own their clean power

CARES has backed more than 1,200 projects

The programme already has a substantial track record across Scotland.

Programme measure	Confirmed figure
CARES funding delivered to date	More than £83 million
Projects supported	More than 1,200
Renewable energy capacity supported	75 MW
CARES funding available in 2026	£15 million
Complementary National Lottery funding	£2 million per year

These figures show the programme’s scale, but they do not establish how much money a typical group receives or the savings achieved by each project. Costs and benefits will depend on the technology, building and local energy needs involved.

First Minister John Swinney said the policy was designed to move communities beyond being passive hosts for energy infrastructure and enable them to invest in, own and benefit from clean energy projects.

Scalpay centre shows how technologies can be combined

Scalpay Community Centre in the Western Isles previously received CARES support to install a heat pump, solar photovoltaic panels and battery storage. The combination allows renewable electricity generation, lower-carbon heating and the storage of energy for later use within one community facility.

Gordon Ness, chair of Scalpay Community Association, said the funding had helped turn the centre into a more energy-efficient, sustainable and welcoming building. He said the improvements reduced its environmental impact while providing a warm, accessible space for local residents.

The example illustrates the range of measures CARES can support, although the announcement does not provide the project’s cost, energy savings or carbon reduction figures.

Community groups can seek grants, loans and advice

CARES is administered by Local Energy Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. Community organisations considering renewable energy, heat decarbonisation or energy-efficiency work can check what support they may be eligible for through the programme.

The government also plans to refresh guidance for public bodies on making public land and buildings available for community renewable projects. Separately, it is assessing whether solar technology could be installed in underused spaces across Scotland.

Groups will still need to establish their eligibility and suitable project route. The funding announcement confirms the technologies and overall budget, but it does not set out a universal award, closing date or guaranteed level of bill reduction for applicants.

Source: Scottish Government News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

The funding totals, eligible technologies and programme record were checked against the Scottish Government announcement.

Checks

Confirmed that CARES funding will increase to £15 million in 2026.
Checked the stated programme record of more than £83 million across over 1,200 projects.
Confirmed that CARES can support solar, onshore wind, heat pumps and battery storage.
Separated confirmed funding details from application limits and deadlines not supplied in...

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