Solar Energy Scotland
27 January 2026
Scotland’s draft Climate Change Plan is inadequate and should have “a much bolder vision” for solar energy, a committee of MSPs was told this morning.
Having solar panels installed, especially alongside a heat pump and a battery energy storage system, can reduce household running costs, “by about a thousand pounds a year,” said Gemma Grimes, Director of Policy and Delivery representing the trade group Solar Energy Scotland. Providing renewed support for installing rooftop solar power would “bring down bills immediately,” helping deliver a just transition to the greatest number of people, she told the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.[1]
She joined the committee in criticising the axing of loans for solar panels from Home Energy Scotland (HES) in 2023. Academics recently found that they had made a significant reduction to fuel poverty.[2] “For those that have the least money,” the availability of loans, “makes a real difference,” said Grimes.
“I actually know constituents that were about to put in heat pumps and then, when the funding for the solar went, they stopped,” replied committee member Sarah Boyack MSP – thus losing jobs and public confidence in decarbonisation.
Fortunately, the publication of Whitehall’s Warm Homes Plan has given fresh impetus to calls for the restoration and expansion of solar loans in Scotland, as a comparable system of interest-free loans and grants will soon be available in England.[3] Some £1.5bn has been allocated to Scotland and Wales under the scheme but so far Scottish Ministers have not clarified what they intend to do with the additional funds.
Matthew Hannon, Professor of Sustainable Energy Business and Policy at the University of Strathclyde, also gave evidence. He mentioned that he had taken advantage of a HES loan himself, describing it as a “fantastic” way to remove the initial cost barriers, while taking a slice of the savings to pay back the loan over time.
In common with the other experts giving evidence, the professor criticised the level of ambition presented by the draft Climate Change Plan, published in November.[4] The consultation period closes on Thursday.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be sufficient,” to provide adequate clarity for future investment, he said, considering that it does not reflect the much fuller Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP).
“A heat pump won’t charge your EV. If you have solar and battery and a heat pump, you’re basically your own little power station and that really isn’t acknowledged in this plan,” said Grimes.
Published for consultation over three years ago, the EJSTP appears to have been abandoned, alongside the ‘Solar Vision’ contained within it. That intended to deliver between 4-6 gigawatts of Scottish solar capacity, on the ground and on rooftops, by 2030 – up from around a gigawatt now.
Solar Energy Scotland believes that 9GW should be in place by 2035, with 5.5GW on the ground and 3.5GW on rooftops, with 10GW of battery storage capacity.
“We absolutely need an Energy Strategy,” plus one for the supply chain and skills, she added, stressing that the Climate Change Plan barely mentions solar energy and has no target or objective for its expansion – unlike the draft ESJTP. “We were hoping to see the Solar Vision… we would really look for the final plan to have a much bolder vision for the role of solar within it,” she said.
There is also no clear focus on the growing role of battery energy storage in the plan, despite significant amounts having been installed already, with more in the pipeline. The absence is profoundly disappointing and represents a missed opportunity to further progress towards the Scottish Government’s economic and climate objectives. It is vital for paving the way towards a stronger, more resilient energy system powered by renewables.
The technology stores power for when it is most in demand so is a great way to use the infrastructure that we have already more efficiently, said Grimes. It also addresses the grid constraints that lead to wind farms being turned off, she added. Moreover, battery storage tends not to take as long through the planning process as other energy infrastructure and can be co-located with solar and wind, sharing grid connections and thus cutting overall costs.
As Solar Energy Scotland’s manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish election notes, there are currently around 800 jobs in the Scottish solar and battery energy storage sector, expected to rise to around 11,000 by 2035.[5] But delivering on that ambition implies a significant increase in the availability of training and public awareness of the sector – such as through the forthcoming Solar Careers Hub Glasgow event at the University of Strathcylde on 25 February.[6,7]
[1] Scottish Parliament Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee session, 27 January 2026
[2] Ending Scotland’s solar loans was ‘a big mistake’ – Solar Energy Scotland
[3] Solar sector ‘ready and able’ to deliver Government’s Warm Homes Plan – Solar Energy UK
[4] Scotland’s Climate Change Plan – 2026-2040 – Scottish Government
[5] Solar Energy Scotland Manifesto
[6] The Future of Solar Energy in Scotland: Potential, Progress, and What’s Next – Solar Energy Scotland
[7] Solar Careers Hub Glasgow – Solar Careers UK
– ENDS –
Editor’s notes
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser
news@solarenergyuk.org | solarenergyuk.org
Key recommendations of the Solar Energy Scotland Manifesto are:
- Set a clear national target
- Commit to 9GW of solar by 2035, signalling confidence to investors, communities and local authorities.
- Unleash rooftop solar
- Update building standards so new homes and non-residential buildings include solar as standard, in line with the European Solar Standard.
- Enable affordable finance
- Reintroduce low-cost or interest-free loans to support households and businesses installing solar and storage.
- Level the playing field on grid access
- Increase Scotland’s Transmission Impact Assessment threshold to match England and Wales (200kW → 5MW), improving access for commercial rooftops and community projects.
- Make planning work for delivery
- Resource planning authorities and uphold National Planning Framework 4 so solar and storage projects can progress at pace.
- Build Scottish solar skills
- Establish Regional Green Skills Hubs and training pathways to ensure Scottish workers benefit from new, high-quality jobs.
Why this matters:
- Lower bills: Rooftop solar can save households £900–£2,100 per year.
- Jobs: Over 11,000 Scottish solar jobs by 2030.
- Nature: Well-designed solar farms support biodiversity and pollinators while allowing grazing to continue.
- Security: More homegrown energy means greater energy independence.
Author
Gareth Simkins
Senior Communications Adviser
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