Clean heat
Scotland has been at the forefront of clean heat innovation for decades, so it’s the perfect place to build your skills and grow your knowledge. Learn about career opportunities in this sector.
Scotland's clean heat sector at a glance
In 2025 the sector consists of over 470 companies, with 8300 direct employees. It generates an annual turnover of £1.66 billion. The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings strategy sets out its vision to decarbonise Scotland’s buildings, costing in the region of £33 billion.
The sector has experienced significant growth since 2022. Employment has increased by 68% and turnover by 52%. Expectations for future growth are strong with nearly three quarters of clean heat companies expecting to grow in the next three years
With a history of pioneering projects and industry firsts, clean heat in Scotland is an industry that can help you to build lucrative skills and broaden your career horizons.
There’s opportunity here to work on impressive projects. Examples include:
- Queens Quayopens in a new window – a £250 million regeneration project in Clydebank that will feature Scotland’s largest single heat network, all powered by Scotland’s first large-scale river-based heat pumps. The project is extending to supply the nearby West College Scotland and the Jubilee hospital.
- HeatSourceopens in a new window – an industry network cluster builder that connects and builds a robust clean heat ecosystem
- AMIDSopens in a new window – the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) is a fifth generation heat network at the forefront of clean heat projects. It includes the Renfrewshire District Heating Network, using a fifth-generation renewable energy system to provide heating and hot water that is 90% greener than traditional gas boilers. The award-winning project, funded by Renfrewshire Council and the Scottish Government, includes a new energy centre and 3.7 kilometres of underground pipes
- Galleries to Caloriesopens in a new window – this first of its kind project in the UK is being trialled in Edinburgh to use waste heat from a large computing facility to warm homes. It brings together industry, academic and national research partners from Scotland, the USA and Ireland
- Bodyheatopens in a new window – a renewable heating system, capturing the heat from nightclubbers, storing it in boreholes and using it for heating the nightclub when required
- Midlothian Energyopens in a new window – Scotland’s first joint venture between a council and the private sector to develop clean heat and energy efficiency projects, beginning with the Shawfair district energy scheme
- ClydeGatewayopens in a new window – A European funded project to demonstrate fifth generation district heating which can provide both heating and cooling
- Annandale Distilleryopens in a new window – a trial with Exergy3 and Cochran Boilder to use innovative thermal storage to decarbonise an energy intensive whisky distillery
Clean heat in Scotland
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There are 8300 people
working in the clean heat sector in Scotland.
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The growing clean heat sector
generates an annual turnover of £1.6 billion.
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Scotland aims to increase the clean heat network
from 1.4% to 9% of Scotland's heat demand.
Your skills are in demand
In Scotland, decarbonising heat is a national priority that makes it the perfect place to grow your expertise and build future-focused skills.
Be a part of the dynamic developments helping our clean heat sector to thrive. There are many areas of work to choose from.
Heat pumps
The scale of the heat pump opportunity is enormous and the supply chain continues to develop. You can join an evolving market, with opportunities in heat pump component manufacturing, innovation around heat pump systems, installation, smart control, and operations and maintenance.
Heat networks
Work for the companies transforming heat networks into low carbon networks. Scotland has an ambitious target to install seven terawatt-hours (TWh) of heat networks by 2030.
Heat tech
Get involved in ground-breaking low carbon heat generation technologies, including harnessing heat from wastewater and large-scale water sourced heat pumps.
Energy efficiency
If you can design the green products of the future, you'll find opportunities here. Scotland has committed to decarbonising heat and improving energy efficiency with a £1.8 billion fund for investment.
Sunamp, Star Renewables, and Mitsubishi all have hubs here, along with many more– from home-grown innovators to international companies.
Clean heat companies in Scotland:
- SisalTechopens in a new window – innovative low carbon building materials
- Indinatureopens in a new window – natural fibre construction insulation
- Snuggopens in a new window – energy efficiency support
- Connected Responseopens in a new window – electric heating retrofit technology
- Thermoelectric conversion systemsopens in a new window – conversion specialists
- TownRock Energyopens in a new window – Edinburgh-based geothermal energy company
- Integrated Environmental Solutionsopens in a new window – products and services for decarbonising buildings
- Resideoopens in a new window – technology and solutions for home energy efficiency
- Hutchison Technologiesopens in a new window – integrated technology for housing
- ThermaFyopens in a new window – tools and services to reduce energy bills
- IRT Surveysopens in a new window – thermal imaging technology
- McDonald Water Storageopens in a new window – manufacturers of water cylinders and tanks
- StorTeraopens in a new window – manufacturers of energy storage batteries
- Exergy3opens in a new window – thermal energy storage
- SynchroStoropens in a new window – energy storage innovators
Find roles in Scotland's clean heat sector
We’re constantly innovating in our renewables sector. So, whatever your passion, and however niche your expertise, you’ll find a home for it in Scotland.
Find jobs in the clean heat sector on LinkedInopens in a new window
How Scotland supports clean heat
Scotland was the first country in the UK to create laws for developing heat networks with the draft Heat Networks Bill. The Scottish Government Heat Network’s main target is to reach 7 TWh by 2035, increasing from 2.6 TWh by 2027 and 6 TWh by 2030.
With ambitious targets comes funding, creating more opportunity to do ground-breaking work in this sector. Other funding plans include the UK government’s Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) – a three-year £300 million grant, and a commitment to secure £1.8 billion in heat and energy efficiency over five years.
Find out more about the Green Heat Network Fundopens in a new window
Scottish local authorities each have a Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and a LHEES officer (or similar) providing a local view of plans for clean heat systems. These strategies identify proposed heat network zones in the area. There are also proposals to require property owners to convert to a clean heat system soon after buying a property.
The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund is a £200 million fund. Covering a period of five years it support social landlords to install zero emissions heating and energy efficiency improvements. Scotland's Heat Network Fund provides capital grants for businesses and organizations to develop heat network projects.
The Scottish Government Microgeneration Certificate Scheme (MCS) certification fund provides grant support for heating engineers to become MCS certified on heat pumps from air, ground or water sources. The fund pays for 75% of their certification fees.
Connected institutions and infrastructure
Scotland has a culture of research and academic excellence with 19 world-class universities, and many opportunities to future-proof your skills. Scotland’s centres of excellence and innovation centres include:
- CENSISopens in a new window – Scotland’s Innovation Centre for sensing, imaging and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies
- Glasgow Observatoryopens in a new window – a hub of geothermal research, studying warm water in flooded mine workings beneath the city
- Power Networks Demonstration Centreopens in a new window – a hub for researching, testing and scaling energy systems in highly realistic conditions
- BE-STopens in a new window – Built Environment Smarter Transformation whose mission is to accelerate transition to zero carbon emissions
If manufacturing is your area of expertise, you can collaborate with National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), an industry-led institution for ground-breaking manufacturing research to boost workforce skills.
Learn more about the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)opens in a new window
Scottish Enterprise has published a range of manufacturing fact sheetsopens in a new window related to the clean heat industry
Come to Scotland to be part of a highly skilled clean heat community, full of opportunities to learn, advance and grow your career.
Find clean heat supply chain companies listed on Scottish Industry Directoriesopens in a new window
Quality of life
Scotland has lots to offer outside of work.
Wherever you decide to work in Scotland, you’ll discover welcoming communities, rich history and vibrant culture.
Enjoy shorter commutes, world-class education, free healthcare, and plenty of green space on your doorstep. Building a career in Scotland comes at a lower cost of living than many other major locations. You’ll benefit from flexibility for hybrid and remote working while being fully supported by reliable digital connectivity.
As one of the best-connected places in Europe, Scotland has six airports with daily direct flights to 150 destinations worldwide. We also have fast and frequent rail links to all parts of the UK.
Moving to Scotland
We welcome people from around the world who want to build exceptional careers across Scotland.
Learn more about moving to Scotland on Scotland.orgopens in a new window