The firm invited communities and entrepreneurs in Scotland to apply for a grant of up to £100,000 for initiatives that can deliver affordable, accessible and sustainable energy solutions to help tackle climate change.

The grants were awarded based on the impact the projects would have on the community, their feasibility and innovation, the quality of the concept and the opportunity for Centrica colleagues to lend their support.

Eigg Trading Limited will receive funding over two years to contribute towards the redevelopment of the Isle of Eigg’s gateway community hub, which aims to make the island more sustainable and be net zero by 2030.

The hub’s eco-renovation will include installing a biomass boiler and solar thermal panels, replacing an oil heating source and saving over 4,000 litres of oil each year. It will also provide additional employment opportunities for Eigg’s residents and support nine community facilities.

Community Energy Scotland will receive funding over two years for their ‘Making Heat Pumps Work’ project, which will enable rural homes in the Orkney Islands to receive home visits or online consultations to help determine the best eco-solutions to decarbonise their heating and will include an analysis of heat loss from the property to help homeowners make targeted improvements to enhance the energy efficiency of their homes.

Brag Enterprises is a charity in Fife that provides employability skills, advice to small businesses, and a food pantry service to help families in poverty. The funding the charity will receive over three years will be directed towards making its three sites more energy-efficient, acting as an example to the wider community on what can be achieved.

In addition to measuring its reduced energy usage and costs, the charity will monitor the actions taken by the community to reduce and change its energy behaviours. Brag will also be providing energy efficiency advice alongside their food pantry service to support those families most at risk of fuel poverty.

Energy Sparks is an online energy analysis and education tool designed to help schools reduce their carbon footprint and educate students on energy efficiency and climate change. Schools participating in Energy Sparks can expect to achieve energy savings of around 10 per cent in their first year, resulting in average annual cost savings of about £2,400 and eight tonnes of carbon emissions. The funding over two years will help to develop and improve the platform and support the free provision of Energy Sparks to a further 65 state schools across Scotland.

The funding recipients attended a roundtable hosted by Centrica in Glasgow during COP26 to learn more about the innovation that is already taking place in Scotland and discuss how Centrica can work to support communities on their journey towards net zero.

Chris O’Shea, group chief executive at Centrica, said: “Tackling climate change is a job that requires everyone to work together, with each of us doing our bit to bring solutions both big and small to the table. The Energy for Tomorrow funding that has been awarded to four projects in Scotland will help organisations that are working at the heart of communities to scale up their ideas and initiatives to make a real difference in peoples lives so that we can continue to push for a sustainable future for all.”