Solar grants, loans and getting paid for solar in Scotland — an up to date guide

You may still be thinking that there are grants for solar, and you’d have been right had you checked in 2024. Unfortunately the rules have changed. Here’s what actually applies in Scotland in 2025.

Firstly, you can check for yourselves:

• Home Energy Scotland: HES is the official advice service in Scotland. You will see here that Grants and Loans don’t apply to solar panels and batteries anymore, instead they now pay for things like heat pumps and insulation. This change came into effect on 6 June 2024. Check it out for yourself: homeenergyscotland.org/home-energy-scotland-grant-loan
• Selling solar back to the grid (SEG): If you’re looking for how export payments work and how to set them up, read our dedicated Scotland guide: Selling electricity back to the grid in Scotland (SEG). Ofgem’s overview is here: ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/smart-export-guarantee-seg

Quick definitions:

• Home Energy Scotland (HES): Government funded advice and funding for Scottish homes.
• Grant and Loan: HES scheme that gives grants and interest free loans for certain upgrades.
• MCS: A certificate from an approved installer proving your system meets UK standards (widely required for SEG export with suppliers).
• DNO: The company that runs the local electricity network (SP Energy Networks, SPEN, or Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, SSEN).

What funding can you actually get in Scotland for renewables in 2025?

• Heat pumps and insulation: HES can give grants up to £7,500 per “pot” for clean heating and energy efficiency. If you live in a rural or island area, there’s a £1,500 uplift on each pot. You can add an interest free loan on top.
• Standard solar panels and home batteries: These are NOT generally funded by HES in 2025. There are a few niche exceptions (like solar thermal or hybrid PV‑T), but for regular solar PV and batteries these aren’t currently available.
• Home Energy Scotland will not fund standard solar PV or battery storage now, even when installed with a heat pump. This policy has applied since 6 June 2024.
• For more niche technologies such as solar thermal and hybrid PV‑T, these may still be eligible for loan support under HES, but standard electricity generating solar PV and battery storage are not.
• Warmer Homes Scotland: If you’re in or at risk of fuel poverty, there may be support, sometimes including solar as part of a package. Check on mygov.scot and through HES.
• ECO4: A UK/GB scheme for low income/eligible households. Solar PV can sometimes be included as part of a full home upgrade, but typically only where the property’s primary heating is electric (or is being switched to electric as part of the ECO4 project), because measures must reduce heating costs. You go through an obligated energy supplier/installer route.
• Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan: Interest free loans for landlords to improve efficiency. Often needs the measure to be recommended on an EPC (your energy rating) or an HES report. Storage usually only when paired with renewables.

Working with an MCS installer: what we handle for you

• MCS certification and a clear handover pack.
• DNO approval (G98/G99) and export limiting if needed for SP Energy Networks or SSEN.
• Smart meter request guidance and help with supplier paperwork.
• Practical tariff guidance based on how your home actually uses energy.

A few real world notes from doing this in Scotland

• DNOs: On single‑phase homes (most houses), SP Energy Networks and SSEN often allow up to 3.68 kW export per phase under G98 without prior permission. If we fit “export limiting,” we can sometimes get higher export approved, but it needs a formal G99 application. Plan for 2–4 weeks for approvals, though timescales can vary.
• Paperwork matters: If you want to sell power back to the grid (SEG), most suppliers will ask for MCS and correct metering details. We handle the admin so you don’t have to.
• Weather and winter: Output drops in winter and rises in summer. A west‑facing roof in the Central Belt can still make sense if you’re home later in the day.

Batteries

• They pay off when you’ve got a cheap night rate and you’re willing to set timers.
• Capacity (kWh) is only half the story. Check discharge power (kW) — that’s what actually runs the house from the battery.
• If you use a heat pump or a 7 kW EV charger, look for around 5 kW discharge so heavy loads don’t pull from the grid.

What to do next

• Check HES. Funding is aimed at insulation and low‑carbon heating. Tighten the house first so solar — and any future heat pump — works better.
• Be export‑ready (if you plan to sell electricity back to the grid):
  • Ask your installer for your MCS certificate, DNO sign‑off and commissioning sheet.
  • Book a smart meter if you don’t have one.
  • Then follow our Scotland SEG setup guide here: How to sell solar back to the grid (SEG) in Scotland.
• Tariff choices:
  • No battery: a simple flat export rate often does the job — compare suppliers.
  • With a battery: combine a cheap overnight import with a time‑of‑use export (Flux‑style). Charge low, use your own power at peak, export a slice if it pays.
• Winter habits:
  • On darker weeks, schedule a small overnight top‑up to avoid peak prices.
  • When the forecast is brighter, let the array carry more of the day.
• Landlords:
  • The PRS Landlord Loan can help with EPCs. Have an EPC or HES report that recommends the measure before you apply — it speeds things up.

Two quick checks you can do yourself today

• Funding reality: Go to Home Energy Scotland’s Grant and Loan page and scan the list of measures. You’ll see heat pumps and insulation listed, not standard solar PV or batteries. That’s the current rule.
• Export basics: For how SEG works in Scotland and what you need, read our guide: SEG in Scotland — getting paid for exports.

What this means for your bills

Get the setup right and a typical Scottish home with a 4–5 kWp array can save you hundreds a year on bills. Add a sensibly sized battery (say 9–10 kWh) and use a smart tariff, and the savings can go further. The exact number depends on your roof, when you use power, and your tariff choices.

A simple plan for Scotland in 2025

• If you can, improve insulation first using HES support.
• If solar stacks up for your roof, install with MCS, get DNO sign‑off, and line up your smart meter.
• Use our SEG guide to set up export if you want to sell power back to the grid.
• Recheck your export or import rates once a year. Switch if someone offers a clear gain.

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