The UK Government has announced the successful bidders in its RHPP Social Landlord Fast Track Competition, Scottish Housing News has said.

A total of 46 organisations will now share £7m of funding to install renewable heating systems in tenants' homes.

The successful Scottish social landlords were Argyll Community Housing Association, Cairn Housing Association, Dumfries & Galloway Housing Partnership, East Lothian Council, Hebridean Housing Partnership, Highland Council and Margaret Blackwood Housing Association.

They are the first wave of successful bidders under the latest round of RHPP (Renewable Heat Premium Payments) competition which launched in May this year.

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The winning social landlords will use the funding to help install a range of renewable heating kit such as air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal installations and biomass boilers in homes.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: "The Coalition is determined to help consumers with the rising cost of living. This latest cash boost for social landlords will help install nearly 2,400 renewable heating technologies in the homes of social tenants, helping hard pressed families save money on their energy bills.

"It's great to see so many social landlords across Great Britain getting involved. The second strand of our renewable heat competition is still open to bids so I would encourage those who have not yet taken advantage of the funding available to get on board."

Bids were reviewed by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) and assessed by a Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) panel of representatives, with representatives from EST, DECC and the Scottish Government and Welsh Government.

DECC said that social landlords can still apply for funding under the second strand of the RHPP scheme via the EST website.

The bidding window will remain open until 27 September 2013.

(JP/CD)