Community and Renewable Energy Scheme

Description

Communities are at the heart of our renewable energy ambitions and community energy has the potential to play a pivotal role in a just energy transition. We are committed to working with partners to continue to grow the community energy sector and ensure the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland, as well as supporting progress towards net zero. CARES provides advice and funding to communities across Scotland looking to develop renewable energy, heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects. The scheme will continue to support a wide range of projects including heat decarbonisation, community owned energy generation, community shared ownership and helping local communities to invest in commercial renewable energy projects. Lot 1: The appointed Service Provider will be responsible for the effective and efficient delivery of all business and operational requirements of CARES, including but not limited to; providing tailored advice and support to communities; providing bespoke funding support; the implementation, delivery and administration of grant and loan funding schemes; providing technical, legal and financial advice to communities; and the administration and recovery of all existing and new loan repayments. The Service Provider was appointed via a mini competition on the Scottish Government's Grant Fund Manager Dynamic Purchasing System.. The contract’s Budget is estimated to have a value of 6,000,000 GBP. Subject to prior agreement, the Scottish Government reserves the option to further scale- up the Budget to a maximum ceiling value of 11,250,000 GBP should the Grant and Loan Fund increase over the contract period and/or to fund additional project services.