Communities across Scotland can now apply for new funding from a £4m Great British Energy scheme.

The funding targets local clean energy projects – from community-led onshore wind, to solar on rooftops and hydropower in rivers – generating profits which could be reinvested into community projects or take money off people’s bills.

Great British Energy, the government’s publicly-owned clean power company, says its £4m funding is part of the £8m Community Energy Generation Growth Fund, with the remaining funding coming from the Scottish Government.

Minister for energy, Michael Shanks, said: “This is our clean energy superpower mission in action – putting communities in the driving seat of energy generation and making sure people profit.

“Great British Energy wants to kickstart a community energy revolution, empowering our towns and villages to become mini energy producers and reinvest profits back into the local community.