Households In Scotland Put Off Installing Renewable Energy Due To Cost

A recent survey of 1002 people in Scotland found that 64% of adults are interested in installing some type of renewable energy in their home, but 59% of those Scots also perceive the cost of installing that technology as being too high.

Installing renewable technologies in households and businesses is vital if Scotland is to meet its renewable energy generation targets. Consumer advice website GreenEnergyNet, who commissioned the survey believe new incentive schemes are needed.

“There is a real danger that insufficient incentives, together with consumer confusion, means ordinary Scots will end up facing higher than average energy bills and miss out on the chance to benefit from the renewables revolution”

It would seem that a perceived “hassle factor” is responsible for the slow uptake in Scottish households taking advantage of renewable energy sources. While 4% of homes in Scotland have already installed some form of renewable energy technology such as photovoltaic solar panels, Scots living in urban areas are less likely to install those solar panels or other renewable energy technology than those living in rural areas of Scotland.

There are grants and funds available to help with the cost of installing renewable energy in your home or business. A new £15 million UK renewable energy grant scheme called the Renewable Heat Premium Payment has been launced by the Energy Saving Trust, offering UK householders who are not heated by mains gas a one-off payment of up to £1,250 towards the installation of clean energy equipment such as air source heat pumps, wood fuel boilers and photovoltaic solar thermal panels.

Chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, Philip Sellwood said,

“Without a doubt, the main barrier that prevents people from taking the plunge is the up-front capital cost. This is a great start in overcoming this obstacle.”

“Without it the focus of renewable energy will remain in our hills and seas rather than our homes.”

The Renewable Heat Incentive, also know as RHI is another UK renewable energy incentive starting in 2012 that will provide financial incentives for installing photovoltaic solar panels in your home or business, as well as the Green Deal which will enable private firms to offer consumers energy efficiency improvements to their homes, community spaces and businesses – at no upfront cost, with payments recouped through a charge in instalments on the energy bill.