First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled details of a new £43 million fund for low-carbon infrastructure projects.

The investment will be shared across 13 projects throughout Scotland. Projects include a local energy system on Fair Isle, an energy storage project in Shetland, low-carbon heat networks in Dundee, Stirling, Clydebank and Glenrothes, and the installation of a heat pump on the River Clyde to serve the Gorbals area.

The funding, awarded by the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme (LCITP), will be matched by a minimum of £43m from private and public sector partners.

The LCITP is a Government-led partnership working with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Futures Trust and Resource Efficient Scotland. It focuses on boosting low carbon infrastructure projects across public, private and community sectors, helping them to create investment business cases and secure capital finance from public and private sources.

Speaking at the All Energy Conference in Glasgow today, 10 May, the First Minister said the 13 projects "have great potential to help us tackle climate change, and remain at the forefront of low carbon and renewable innovation".

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"They will also bring economic benefits – in terms of savings and jobs – to local areas across the country," she said.

"Scotland has some of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets in the world. Over the past 10 years, our pattern of energy consumption has changed considerably, helping us to meet – and exceed – our 2020 target for reducing energy consumption, six years early.

"We are determined to build on this success, and we are now seeking views on a new target through our draft Energy Strategy – for 50% of our energy consumption – spanning heat, transport and electricity – to be met by renewables by 2030.

"With Scotland's world-leading expertise in renewables, which employs at least 11,000 people, and a growing workforce of at least 58,000 in the low carbon sector, I am confident of our future success."

Dave Pearson, Director at Star Renewable Energy, added: "The support provided by the Scottish Government through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme has recognised both the technical and commercial potential of our project in Glasgow's Gorbals.

"The programme is providing excellent support in placing a high temperature river heat pump – the largest in the UK – at the Clyde to supply clean, low carbon heat to buildings in the Gorbals, helping us to collectively work to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in Scotland."

Other successful recipients include Scottish Water Horizons, who have been awarded grant support to facilitate the installation of heat from sewer systems at five locations across Scotland.

Paul Kerr, Head of Scottish Water Horizons, said: "We are delighted that we have been awarded funding to enable the acceleration of this innovative technology at key locations across Scotland.

"Using the sewer network as the primary source of heat, together with SHARC Energy Systems' technology, enables customers closest to the network to benefit from this innovative heating solution."

To view a list of the 13 successful projects to receive funding, visit here.

(LM/JP)