The north and north-east have scooped nearly £13 million in additional funding to help make homes more energy efficient.
The allocations to local authorities in Grampian and the Highlands and islands account for more than a quarter of the £49million going to Scottish area schemes as part of the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes (Heeps).
More than half of the one million residents in rural Scotland suffer from fuel poverty – with the proportion rising to two-thirds of homes in remote areas.
The problem is particularly acute in the islands, where energy consumption can be more than double the national average and annual bills can be £300 higher.
The cash is aimed at achieving the “Route Map to an Energy Efficient Scotland”, which outlines action to ensure that by 2040 all homes are improved so they achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least Band C.
Highlands Council will receive in excess of £2.638million, Aberdeenshire will get more that £2.217million, Argyll and Bute will benefit from almost £1.676million, Aberdeen city will get £1.549million, and Moray will receive £1.453million.
Orkney Islands Council is poised to be handed £1million for the upgrades, while Shetland will get 1.03million and the Western Isles are to be boosted by £1.359million.
The money is to be used to develop and deliver fuel poverty programmes, mainly solid wall insulation, in areas with high levels of fuel poverty
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We have made good progress and significant investment in tackling fuel poverty, supporting people across the country who need help.
“However, there are still far too many people struggling with unaffordable energy costs.
“Since 2013 we have invested almost £275million through our Heeps programme – helping more than 90,000 households reduce their fuel bills by making their homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
“This latest round of funding is part of a package of measures to make homes across Scotland more energy efficient.”
The Scottish Government is due to introduce the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill this summer, which will enshrine in legislation an ambition to eliminate fuel poverty.
