Low carbon heat career opportunities in Scotland
Looking to develop your career in the low carbon heat sector? Scotland has career opportunities across the sector, in a range of roles. More than 10,500 companies work in Scotland’s renewables and low carbon industry. They range from home-grown innovators to international players.
Huge opportunities in low carbon heat
To meet climate change targets, more than 26 million heat pumps need to be installed in the UK by 2050.
In Scotland, 460,000 homes could be heated through renewable sources by 2030. This is a huge opportunity for Scotland’s low carbon heat sector.
Scotland has career opportunities across the sector in a range of roles.
Leading the world on net zero
- Scotland has committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 opens in a new window — five years ahead of the UK and most of the rest of the world opens in a new window
- Scotland was the first country in the world to declare a climate change emergencyopens in a new window
- Scotland is the first country in the UK to legislate on developing heat networks, with the draft Heat Networks Bill opens in a new window
- Scotland has the world's largest energy research group with more than 700 renewable energy scientists, engineers and academics
Did you know?
- By 2032 in Scotland, 35% of heat for domestic buildings and 70% of heat and cooling for non-domestic buildings must come from low carbon heat technologies
- Scotland has committed £1.6 billion for investment opens in a new window in decarbonising heat and improving energy efficiency
- This includes a £100 million Green Jobs Fund opens in a new window , to create jobs in the low carbon economy
- There are more than 800 district and communal heating networks in Scotland, supplying more than 25,000 households — with around another 100 networks supplying commercial and public sector buildings
Scotland’s low carbon economy
Scotland’s low carbon economy employs more than 23,000 people, with a turnover of more than £6 billion. In low carbon heat, key sectors include heat pumps and heat networks.
Related sectors include engineering, manufacturing, renewable energy, construction, facilities management, software and ‘internet of things’ (IoT) technologies – the world of connected devices.
Renewables and low carbon employers
More than 10,500 companies work in Scotland’s renewables and low carbon industry. They range from home-grown innovators to international players, and include:
- Vattenfall opens in a new window - a Swedish multinational power company installing low carbon heat networks in Scotland and across Europe opens in a new window
- ESCo opens in a new window – a new joint venture company formed by Vattenfall and Midlothian Council opens in a new window to deliver low carbon, green energy projects across the Midlothian Council area
- Vital Energi opens in a new window – a provider of low carbon energy generation, energy distribution and energy management solutions across sectors
- ScottishPoweropens in a new window – the energy supplier’s Zero Carbon Communities opens in a new window project is supporting the decarbonisation of cities including Glasgow, which needs heat pumps in an estimated 244,000 homes.
- PassivSystemsopens in a new window – a provider of smart technology for the energy and low carbon heat sectors.
- Locogen opens in a new window – a consultancy and contractor in renewable energy technologies, including district heating, ground source and air source heat pumps
- Kensa Group opens in a new window – a leading UK manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps
- ITPEnergised opens in a new window – a consultancy that has advised more than 2,500 renewable energy and climate change projects opens in a new window in more than 150 countries.
- Anglo Nordic opens in a new window – a major supplier of heating components
- Renewable Heat opens in a new window – installers of renewable heating systems
- Natural Power opens in a new window – green energy consultancy with operations across the UK, Ireland, France and the USA.
- Ramboll opens in a new window – a Danish sustainable engineering and design consultancy with 300 offices in 35 countries
- Rybka opens in a new window – a consultancy specialising in sustainable mechanical and electrical engineering design solutions
- Scotland is a hub of legal expertise in the energy and low carbon sectors – including companies such as Harper Macleod opens in a new window , Brodies opens in a new window , Burness Paull opens in a new window and Pinsent Masons opens in a new window
Find more low carbon heat employers based in Scotland opens in a new window
Academic excellence
Scotland has 19 world-class universities and produces 21,000 university graduates a year in IT, engineering, maths and sciences. Low carbon specialisms include sustainable engineering, geothermal energy and hydrogen storage.
Scotland’s Energy Technology Partnership opens in a new window is the largest, most broad-based energy research partnership in Europe, with 600 researchers across 13 universities. Seven further education colleges offer specialist training in the latest renewable and energy efficiency technologies, funded by SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund opens in a new window .
Vocational apprenticeships, designed for and by industry, include plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration.
Our low carbon heat expertise
Low carbon heat networks and projects in Scotland include:
- Scottish Renewables opens in a new window – the voice of Scotland’s renewable energy industry
- Glasgow Observatory opens in a new window – a hub of geothermal research, studying warm water in flooded mine workings beneath the city
- District Heating Scotland opens in a new window – an online hub of information and contacts to boost the uptake of low carbon heat networks in Scotland
- Power Networks Demonstration Centre opens in a new window at the University of Strathclyde is a hub for researching, testing and scaling energy systems in highly realistic conditions
- Heat Network Partnershipopens in a new window – a collaboration of agencies in Scotland focused on the promotion and support of District Heating schemes in Scotland
- Queens Quay opens in a new window – a £250 million regeneration project in Clydebank that will feature Scotland’s largest single heat network, powered by Scotland’s first large-scale river-based heat pumps
- Construction Scotland Innovation Centre opens in a new window – industry-led centre to help businesses deliver transformational change in construction, including increasing efficiency
- CENSISopens in a new window – Scotland’s innovation centre for accelerating business growth through sensing, imaging and Internet of Things technologies
- Energy Efficient Scotland opens in a new window – a £500 million programme to support the adoption of low carbon heating and energy efficiency measures
- Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme opens in a new window – accelerates the development and delivery of substantive low-carbon energy projects across Scotland
- Heat Pump Sector Deal Expert Advisory Groupopens in a new window – advises the Scottish Government on rapidly scaling up heat pump deployment
- Community and Renewable Energy Schemeopens in a new window – offers financial support to local energy and heat projects, with £45 million going to 600 local energy projects since 2013
- District Heating Loan Fund opens in a new window – offers low interest unsecured loans of up to £1 million, with larger loans available on a co-investment basis
- Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund opens in a new window – a £20 million Scottish Government fund to prioritise the installation of heat pumps in social housing
Quality of life
Beyond the office, Scotland offers an excellent quality of life opens in a new window that’s rich in culture, history and natural beauty. Our assets include acres of green space, historic cities, world-renowned food and drink – and Scotland’s famous hospitality.
Come to Scotland and power up your career in low carbon heat.
Low carbon heat jobs
The growth of the low carbon heat sector is creating new opportunities in the design, manufacture, installation, operation and maintenance of low carbon technology and systems. These include heat pump manufacturing, component manufacturing, the development of smart controls, metering and billing services, system assembly, and innovations to integrate heat, electricity, buildings and mobility.
Job roles range from engineers and environmental consultants to administrators and sales managers.
Explore roles in Scotland's low carbon sector
If you’ve got the skills and the passion for our low carbon heat sector, come and join us. Explore the latest jobs from Scottish companies, as well as overseas companies with a base in Scotland.