SNP government scrap energy saving home grants

I remember when the SNP announced they were scrapping the first time home buyers grant of £2,000 thinking on the scale of their spending commitments this was short sighted if they were genuinely trying to get more homes built and people to live in them.

Now we see they are scrapping energy saving home grants.

How does this tie in with their climate change targets and strategy?

Home energy use accounts for over a third of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions and improving efficiency is considered to be one of the cheapest and quickest ways to meet climate change targets.

The energy saving grant provides residents with up to £4,000 towards the cost of installing solar panels and other renewable energy devices in their home.

Almost 3,000 households have taken up grants of varying amounts since 2007, giving residents the chance to cut their fuel bills and help the environment at the same time.
 
The grants provided up to 30 per cent of the cost of installing a home renewable heating system, up to £4,000. Renewable energy devices that the grants could be used for include ground source heat pumps, wood fuel stoves and solar thermal water heating.

However, it appears the SNP government have not been so good in letting everyone know as reported in today's Scotland on Sunday;

John Conway, operations director at Renfrewshire company Solar Panel Scotland, said:

"We had no knowledge, despite being the major provider of solar panels in the Scottish domestic market, that the scheme was to be shelved.

"It's very disappointing because it has been an important and successful method of promoting renewable energy to people across Scotland."

Let us hope the SNP government assess the impact that removing the grant will have on their climate change targets and the level of greenhouse gas emissions that will now increase.