Scottish Government's Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES)
Community Energy Scotland delivers the Scottish Government's Community and Renewable Energy Scheme. The Scottish Government wishes to maximise local ownership of renewable energy generation projects and to increase the benefits for communities that these projects can provide.
The Scottish Government believes that there is so much more a community can gain from renewables projects, over and above the energy generated and financial benefits. For example: increased community cohesion and confidence, skills development and support for local economic regeneration. More details on policy relating to this can be found here.
CARES
CARES is all about helping local ownership of additional renewable energy projects. Community Energy Scotland employs local project officers around Scotland to help you with the process of applying for funds and developing your ideas.
There are a number of strands to CARES - all designed to help community or local business developers to work up their plans to a stage where they can install additional renewable energy generation on their site and maximise the benefits for local people.
If you have a good idea, you should see what support is available!
Urban Development Programme
The most recent round of support for the Urban programme reopened on 1st April 2012 - read more here
Other Schemes
The CARES Legacy
The Scottish Government's CARES Grant programme was launched in April 2009 and £13.7m grant was allocated for 2 years to help communities to develop and install successful renewable energy projects across Scotland.
Projects previously funded under CARES can be seen on Community Energy Scotland's Online Project Database where you can also upload your community energy projects.
A list of organisations which have been supported throughout the CARES programme to date can be viewed here.
We have also produced a variety of Case Studies for CARES supported projects with more detail about the project and how it was delivered. The CARES scheme and Community Energy Scotland also provides an aftercare service.
