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You can save yourself £45 a year by replacing a 10 year-old fridge-freezer with a modern, energy efficient A-rated appliance.

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How to apply for solar energy grants ...

If you are considering installing solar energy or any other type of renewable energy in your home, you may be eligible for a government grant. Grants are not means tested and qualifying is straight forward.

Across the UK, the DTI's low carbon buildings programme provides grants for householders on microgeneration technologies including solar photovoltaics, solar thermal hot water, wind turbines, small scale hydro, heat pumps and bio-energy.

For a list of accredited solar and renewable energy installers please see the low carbon buildings programme website for more information.

In Scotland, the Scottish Community Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI ) provides grants for householders funded by the Scottish Executive and managed by the Energy Saving Trust. Grants are available for solar, water and space heating, small-scale wind and hydro systems, ground source heat pumps and biomass. Funding for householders is set at 30% of the installed cost up to £4,000.

If you live in Scotland you can choose to have a SCHRI or a low carbon buildings programme grant but you cannot have a grant from both programmes for one technology. Please see the Energy Saving Trust website for more information or call the SCHRI Hotline on 0800 138 8858.

Before installing any renewable energy technology you should always consider energy efficiency measures first. We recommend that you complete a home energy check so that you can assess which measures are most suitable for your home.

How to apply for a home solar energy grant

Grant applications are made on a quarterly basis. Applications are assessed by an independent panel and if approved you have 12 months to complete the installation. A grant is paid out in two stages: up to 70% at approval and 30% on completion.

The whole appliaction process can be broken down into five stages...

  1. Obtain a quote and grant application form your chosen solar system supplier.
  2. Order your Solar energy system and ensure that your order is be conditional on grant approval.
  3. After checking your personal details, including the bank account you want the grant funds to be paid into, sign and post the grant application form. It usually takes around 5-10 days to receive your grant approval letter.
  4. Have your solar water heating system installed by your chosen supplier.
  5. The final stage is to claim the second part of your grant. Once your Solar system is installed and paid for, you will receive a certificate which is required to claim the final grant payment which goes straight into your bank account.

Energy Saving Tip: You can save yourself £45 a year by replacing a 10 year-old fridge-freezer with a modern, energy efficient A-rated appliance.