The Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) is an energy efficiency scheme in Scotland which provides government-backed grant funding for energy-saving measures in the home. The government has obligated the larger energy companies to put money aside for the scheme. Eligible Scottish homeowners and private tenants who are deemed to live in fuel poverty can claim a 100% non-repayable grant to improve the energy efficiency of their home.

ECO4 grants in Scotland will run until March 2026. Under the grant scheme, energy suppliers are required to provide grants for energy-saving measures in three categories: heating, insulation, and low-carbon technologies. This can include things like cavity wall insulation, solid wall insulation, solar panels and heat pumps.

Who is eligible for an ECO grant?

the ECO grant scheme is open to families where a member of the household claims one of the benefits below. To claim a grant for solar PV panels your home must also have an existing EPC rating of E, F or G. This means that your home is not already energy efficient. This type of property would benefit most from a new solar installation.

ECO4 Grant Eligibility

ECO4 grants cover the supply and installation of solar panels in Scotland. They also provide funding for heating upgrades and insulation. The scheme is aimed at inefficient properties where the EPC rating is an E or below.

To be eligible a member of your household must claiming one of a list of benefits (below)

In addition to the above means tested benefits, low-income households may be eligible if they claim the child regular benefit payment. This type of grant is means tested. If you or someone who lives with you claims child benefit, the total gross household earnings must be below the following thresholds:

Number of ChildrenSingle ClaimantMember of a Couple
1 child£19,900£27,500
2 children£24,800£32,300
3 children£29,600£37,200
4+ children£34,500£42,000

The latest version of the scheme focuses on lower-income families and people with inefficient heating like electric heaters, oil boilers and LPG central heating. Many of these properties are in rural locations.

You do not have to be signed up with one of these energy suppliers to receive an ECO grant. As long as you are a domestic electricity user in Scotland any one of these providers can carry out the work required in your home.

Any solar install under the ECO grant scheme in Scotland is supplied and fitted completely free of charge. You don’t have to pay any money back, even if you move home.

Are ECO4 Grants in Scotland Free?

ECO4 grants in Scotland are completely free for eligible households. Any work carried out under the grant scheme is free of charge and no customer contribution is necessary. The grant covers the cost of installing any energy efficieny measure and all materials including additional ventilation and remedial work.

What does the solar panel grant cover?

Under the ECO scheme solar panels are completely free so you do not pay for the PV panels or the cost of installation. Grants for free solar energy storage batteries are not provided under the scheme, however, but they can be added at a later date if desired. Although you would have to cover the cost of this yourself.

How do I apply for an ECO grant in Scotland?

Applying for an ECO grant in Scotland is easy. There are no complicated forms or application process. Simply get in touch to arrange an appointment with an energy assessor. The surveyor will arrange an appointment at your convenience.

When the assessor visits your home, you will be required to provide proof of residency and benefit status. We will assess your home to see what measures you require and arrange an install date. We then claim the money back for the ECO 4 Grant in Scotland through the energy providers.

UKSOL had developed a special optimised Innovation Measure solar PV module which incorporates anti-shading technology, online monitoring and additional safety features to deliver higher performance.

 An application for an ECO Innovation Measure was made by Happy Energy Solutions Ltd, in partnership with UKSOL and EDF, to Ofgem and now that it has been approved, can be deployed as a heating measure to improve the EPC rating of homes which contain an eligible form of electric heating system*, or where such a heating system is installed alongside. ECO4 funding can used to fund the measure, which includes in social housing homes with an EPC of D or below. As an approved Innovation Measure, installers can claim between 25-50% extra ECO funding (please contact us for more details).

*Eligible heating systems include high heat retention storage heaters, certain electric boilers and heat pumps (including gas hybrid heat pumps)

Link to official grant website: https://eco4.org.uk/

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These panels are European made and come with a 30-year Performance Warranty. They are the latest half cell technology. Implementing half-cut cells in solar panels can help improve the power output of a solar panel system. Half-cut solar cells are exactly what their name suggests – they are traditional silicon solar cells that have been cut in half using a laser cutter.

Since the cells are physically smaller, they are more averse to cracking.

A half-cut cell carries half the current and a quarter of the resistance of a full cell. So a complete half-cell module has the same current but half the resistance of a regular module. Resistance = wasted power, meaning a half cell solar panel can boost output by around 3%.

A regular panel is made up of 3 rows of cells connected in series with bypass diodes. If one cell is shaded, a third of the panel’s output can be lost. But in a half-cut panel, there are 6 rows of cells. So, if one of the cells is shaded, only a sixth of the output is lost.

With a lower current in each cell, there’s less heat concentration.

 Roof space can be saved using half cell technology.