Solar energy in Scotland

Scotland can't always guarantee the sunshine, but there is still great potential for the use of solar power energy. Solar power in Scotland could fulfil and surpass all the domestic and commercial hot water needs of the nation.

There are two distinct forms of solar power process:

• Solar Thermal energy - process of taking the energy out of the sun’s rays and converting it into heat energy
• Solar-Photo-Voltaic (Solar PV) power – process of converting this energy directly into electricity

Solar energy in Scotland – an overview

Scotland enjoys 12-14 hours of sunshine each day in the summer months and the country’s existing Solar-PV capacity is 500kW.

Existing solar projects in Scotland have been small in scale but Scotland is well placed to be at the forefront of innovation in the solar energy sector.

We’re committed to helping Scotland’s energy industry thrive and we can provide your solar energy company with the support you need to make your investment in Scotland a success.

The solar energy industry in Scotland benefits from:

• A comprehensive supply chain
• An established workforce with commercial energy production expertise
• Significant expertise in silicon wafer development an production
• 15 universites offering research and development expertise and diverse capabilities

Scotland’s political environment is supportive of the solar energy industry with the Scottish Government offering two high profile incentive schemes for investment:

• Scottish Community Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) - grants for householders of 30%, up to £4,000, off the cost of renewable energy heating systems
• Scotland’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) – this government-backed scheme encourages people to generate heat from a renewable source, solar power

Scotland’s solar energy strengths