Solar Energy grants: FOI release

Information requested

1. How many times was solar energy discussed at cabinet between 20 May 2021 to date?
2. The number of grants that were awarded to private Scottish households to instal solar panels from 20 May 2021 to date.
3. The total amount of grant money that the Scottish Government has paid out to private households to instal solar panels from 20 May 2021 to date.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reasons why we do not have the information are explained in the Annex attached.

The information requested that the Scottish Government does have is set out below.

Your request asked for the number and value of grant money paid to private households to install solar panels from 20 May 2021. Grant funding for solar panels was introduced to the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme in December 2022, when the scheme was launched as an update to the HES Loan and Cashback Scheme. The information requested is outlined below:

Home Energy Scotland Schemes Funding for Solar PV – Grant Funding
Total Number of Agreed Funding Offers	586
Total Value of Agreed Funding Offers	£732,500
Total Number of Grants Paid Out	202
Total Value of Grants Paid Out	£251,000
Figures Provided Cover the Period 20 May 2021 to 22 June 2023

As your request asked for details of funding from 20 May 2021, I have also included data which reflects the same request for loan funding. This information is outlined below:

Home Energy Scotland Schemes Funding for Solar PV – Loan Funding
Total Number of Agreed Funding Offers	4557
Total Value of Agreed Funding Offers	£23,579,347.71
Total Number of Loans Paid Out	2972
Total Value of Loans Paid Out	£11,830,179.77
Figures Provided Cover the Period 20 May 2021 to 22 June 2023

The HES Grant and Loan Scheme (and previous HES Loan and Cashback Scheme) follows a consumer-led model where the funding is applied for by the applicant directly, who in turn is responsible for sourcing an installer and paying funding to them once works are complete.

For the HES Grant and Loan Scheme, applicants have 9 months to drawdown funding after a funding offer is in place. Applicants had 6 months to drawdown funding under the previous HES Loan and Cashback Scheme.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202300362379 - Information Released - Annex

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