Delivering renewable energy benefits to communities

2nd October 2025

An Island solar farm, community ice rink and a small community wind farm are among almost 50 projects to benefit from more than £5.5 million funding.

Supported through a combination of Scottish Government and Great British Energy funding, the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme's (CARES) Community Energy Generation Growth Fund will enable 46 community groups to install local renewable energy schemes such as wind turbines and solar panels, to meet local needs.

Energy Secretary Gillian Martin confirmed the 2025 allocations for the Fund whilst at a visit to an Edinburgh Solar Co-op site in southwest Edinburgh, during Scotland's Climate Week.

The community-run group have been offered more than £480,000 funding to install further solar panels on schools, community centres and leisure facilities across the city generating free electricity for the buildings and a fixed return on investments for local supporters.

Among the projects awarded funding are:

Arran Community Renewable's work on building community-owned Glenkiln Solar Farm
Eigg Electric to support their work towards decarbonising the island by 2030
Huntly Development Trust’s project to generate up to 20MW of potential wind, solar and green hydrogen
It brings the total number of funding offers through the Fund up to 69 since it first launched last year, supporting 57 different community energy projects.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said: "Scotland is fast becoming a global renewable energy powerhouse, and it is vital that communities share in the benefits from this transition.

"This funding, for stand-alone generation projects, responds to the needs of local groups and has the potential to lever in significant funds for communities by providing the ability to earn money from their projects by, for example, selling the excess energy generated back to the grid. It will also play a key role delivering a just transition to net zero, whilst supporting a greener, fairer future for Scots.

"To further ensure communities see the benefits of the renewable energy transition, we know more can be done. That is why we are calling on the UK Government to go further by mandating offers of shared ownership and to introduce a mandatory community benefits scheme for mature onshore technologies.

“We will continue to work with our partners to grow the community energy sector and, crucially, ensure that the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland, as well as supporting progress towards net zero."

UK Government Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said: “Great British Energy is empowering communities across Scotland to take a stake in their own energy, whether it be investing in solar projects on the Isle of Arran or community wind farms in Aberdeenshire.

“This is our clean energy superpower mission in action - putting communities in the driving seat of energy generation and making sure working people and businesses profit."

Local Energy Scotland Manager Chris Morris, said: “Congratulations to the community groups and charities who’ve worked hard to develop these inspiring projects and proposals. We’re looking forward to working with them and to see the lasting impact they’ll make, locally and across the country.

“This funding marks a step forward for community-led renewable energy in Scotland. Through CARES, we’re enabling local groups to turn ambition into action, developing energy projects that not only reduce carbon emissions but also directly benefit communities with long term social and economic value."

Background

The Community Energy Generation growth fund is an £8 million fund which is a combination of Scottish Government funding and over £4 million funding from Great British Energy.

Climate Week | Net Zero Nation

Up to £5.5 million of funding will be awarded through the latest round of the Community Energy Generation Growth Fund. This is broken down as follows - with some funding still to be allocated. Figures are correct at time of publication.

Applicant Name
Project Title
Funding approved

1
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn
West Coast Community Energy Project
£179,477

2
The New Tannahill Centre
Tannahill Renewable Energy
£211,700

3
Huntly Development Trust Limited
Gartly Moor Renewable Energy Project
£246,050

4

Oban and Lorn Community Enterprise Ltd t/a Atlantis Leisure
Sustainable Atlantis Protecting for the Future
£113,573

5

The Good Shepherd Centre
Solar PV
£232,364

6

Arnish Community Windfarm
Arnish Community Windfarm
£33,180

7

Strathblane Community Development Trust
SREP feasibility study
£27,200

8

East Lothian Community Benefits
Onshore wind generation
£20,000

9

Braemar Community Hydro Ltd
Braemar Community Solar
£64,021

10

West Lothian Climate Action Network Hub Ltd
CommonWatt SE Scotland Project
£20,000

11

Knock & Swordale
Beinn Thulabaigh
£62,700

12

Sunart Community Renewables Ltd
Sunart Wind
£29,385

13

Moray Waste Busters
Strathcona House Reuse Hub
£125,600

14

Tayvallich Initiative Ltd
Tayvallich Initiative Mary's land solar project
£11,532

15

Radical Renewable Art and Activism Community Energy Society
Glasgow Rooftop Solar Phase 2
£320,538

16

Fife Communities Climate Action Network CIC
Fife Community Renewables Project
£68,777

17

Lossiemouth Community Development Trust
Lossiemouth Community Renewables
£19,992

18

Kyle & Lochalsh Community Trust
Kyle Community Power
£16,265

19

Uig Development Trust
Uig Community Shop: Renewable Energy
£54,662

20

National Mining Museum Scotland
Coal to Kilowatt: Transforming NMMS
£19,800

21

Arran Community Renewables
Glenkiln Solar Farm
£239,000

22

Selkirk Regeneration
Selkirk Solar PV feasibility - Solar Rooftop Club
£83,700

23

Tiree Community Enterprise Limited
Solar PV & Battery at Filling Station
£40,000

24

Stevenston Community Company
Creation of a community solar farm in Irvine
£15,000

25

Borders Ice Rink Trust
Border Ice Rink Sustainability
£87,844

26

Garioch Sports & Community Centre Holdings
Garioch Goes Green
£77,337

27

Lasswade Community Rugby Trust
Decarbonise Lasswade Rugby Club Phase 1
£79,033

28

Kilmarnock Community Trust
Gartocharn Community Solar Installation
£88,516

29

East Ayrshire Leisure
East Ayrshire Leisure - Solar PV Project
£79,803

30

Glasgow Life
Royal Concert Hall Decarbonisation - Solar PV
£197,160

31

Toryglen Community Base
Solar PV Installation
£64,492

32

Eigg Electric Limited
Phase 2 Work
£185,662

33

Eco-Congregation Scotland
Eco-Congregation Scotland Net Zero Project
£353,053

34

Tiree Community Enterprise Limited
Tiree Solar PV Crossapol
£254,810

35

Edinburgh Community Solar Co-op
Edinburgh Solar Co-op phase 3
£484,500

36

ACCORD Hospice
ACCORD Hospice Solar PV Project
£53,100

37

Mallaig Pool and Leisure
Mallaig Pool and Leisure PV system
£83,037

38

Comrie Development Trust
Cultybraggan Solar PV and BESS
£76,305

39

Granton Project CIC
Harnessing solar power for community growth
£70,043

40

Corbenic Camphill Community
Corbenic estate assessment and solar installation
£110,000

41

Preston and Abbey Community Trust
Abbey St Bathans Community Solar Project
£235,107

42

The Crichton Trust
The Crichton Quarter Energy Network
£249,054

43

Fair Isle Electricity Company Ltd
Fair Isle Grid: Increasing Renewable
£183,705

44

Strathaven Rugby Football Club Ltd
Carbon Neutral Indoor Training Facility
£170,786

45

Radio City Association Ltd
Kilbirnie Community Hydro
£27,341

46

The Richmond Fellowship Scotland
Development of solar energy project
£20,000