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After topical questions on biodiversity and Prestwick Airport, Brexit Secretary Mike Russell will update MSPs on preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit at the end of the month.

Then Islands Minister Paul Wheelhouse will make a statement on the proposed national islands plan.

MSPs move on to a debate on how to best support innovation, before SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald closes out the day with a member's business on 50 Years of the Institute of Occupational Medicine.

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Tory MSP Dean Lockhart asks about how the Scottish National Investment Bank and the forthcoming publicly owned energy company will fit in going forward.

Mr Leveque replies Scottish Renewables are looking at how SNIB could help provide a bigger pool of funding for renewables.

Prof Webb calls for SNIB to be integrally involved in the development of the low carbon infrastructure development as well as in building stock.

"It has to play a critical role."

The committee draws to a close.

Ms Bray says local authorities will have a key role but they can't deliver everything.

The Changeworks representative tells the committee an oversight body could support common practices across Scotland.

Anthony Kyriakides from Energy Saving Trust Scotland highlights a recent change to VAT rates on energy efficiency materials, which has increased the costs.

The change was due to an EU diktat, causing VAT to increase from 5% to 20% he explains.

Elizabeth Leighton says there is no getting around the big cost, but warns doing it some other way will only end up costing more.

Four years ago, energy efficiency was declared an infrastructure priority but since then we have seen the budget flatline she adds.

Ms Leighton insists £240m needs to be invested annually.

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Fabrice Leveque from Scottish Renewables warns business rates can stop a lot of potential heat network projects from happening.

Prof Webb says there is the beginning of a framework in place with Energy Efficient Scotland.

The Energy Efficient Scotland programme, external builds on existing legislation and programmes that are already supporting the improvement of the energy efficiency of homes, businesses and public buildings, as well as the work we are doing with local authorities to develop Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES).

The professor warns against sitting back and thinking about when we should start implementing energy efficiency strategies, saying "start now".

Prof Webb tells the committee she does not understand why a zero-carbon standard for new builds is not already in place in Scotland.

This seems to be in contradiction with the policy on net-zero and statements on the climate emergency, she adds.

But more important is the retrofit of existing stock Prof Webb explains, highlight how slow developments are.

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A £30m fund intended to support low-carbon heating has been opened to applications.

Businesses and organisations working on "innovative" solutions to heating buildings can apply to the Scottish Low Carbon Heat Fund, external.

Up to 50% of the capital cost of a new project will be available.

The fund is part of wider programme backed by the Scottish government, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Read more.

Green MSP Andy Wightman points out energy efficiency targets that have been missed.

The power to improve new buildings are just not being delivered, says the Green MSP.

"I share your frustration," replies Ms Leighton.

She points out Scotland could go faster than the rest of the UK and build net-zero homes now.

The Existing Homes Alliance Scotland representative says there has also been a missed opportunity to bring in a trigger when people refurbish their homes.

We need more horse power to drive forward the energy efficiency programme in Scotland, Ms Leighton concludes.

Scottish Renewables works with companies trying to compete with oil and gas, and they need policy to level the playing field, says Fabrice Leveque.

The heat network offers a litmus test for how seriously the Scottish government is on tackling the climate emergency, he states.

Mr Leveque says industry still does not know whether its key asks will be included in the forthcoming heat networks bill.

He calls for zones and measures to compel buildings to connect to the heat network.

Prof Webb calls for plans to be put in place and to be made systematically for energy efficiency.

The academic says there are politically challenging questions about who pays for what, hence her request for planning.

She adds district heating networks could be used to address the wastage of heat.

Ms Bray says the average energy efficiency of Scotland's homes is higher than the rest of the UK and warns against waiting too long for a whole plan.

Ofgem's Euan McVicar supports calls for gathering of evidence on alternatives that would be most cost effective.

Hydrogen has a lot of potential but lots of further work needs to be done, in particular a legislative and regulatory framework for its rollout, he explains.

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Elizabeth Leighton pivots to "hydrogen myth-busting", pointing out it will not simply replace gas.

The Existing Homes Alliance Scotland rep says there are components of the gas grid where it will be appropriate to use it, but it is not a silver bullet and must be used selectively.

Ms Leighton warns it will cost the UK £6.2bn more if we don't go down an energy efficiency route.

She posits we know we have to move off high carbon fossil fuel heating systems, but with adequate support.

"Let's ensure everybody benefits from the transition."

How do we replace the gas supply, asks SNP MSP Colin Beattie, adding this is the key question.

Prof Bell agrees the big challenge is the existing building stock (not just homes) and we need to stop unabated burning of methane.

It seems unlikely that the net-zero emissions target will be met without hydrogen, he explains, telling the committee there therefore needs to be more evidence on its usability and how to get it to homes.

I don't have the answer but we should break down that question into smaller ones to help build an idea of where to go next, he concludes.

Teresa Bray from Changeworks reminds the committee there is a climate emergency and to meet the net-zero target by 2045 there will need to be changes.

"But Scotland can do it."

Ms Bray argues it requires a cultural change and the leadership being shown in the parliament is not filtering through.

Fabrice Leveque says the key priority in the short-term is rolling out heat networks, suggesting there should be a focus on inner-city housing first.

We need to invest in showing how solutions can be done and to encourage the workforce to pursue them, he adds.

He also suggests the housing who are off the gas grid should be looking at new options sooner, such as district heat pumps.

The Scottish government is lacking a bit behind UK government thinking on this, he says.

Anthony Kyriakides from the Energy Saving Trust Scotland explains 9,000 heat pumps have been credited under the domestic RHI.

The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive, external (domestic RHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat.

Switching to heating systems that use eligible energy sources can help the UK reduce its carbon emissions and meet its renewable energy targets.

Elizabeth Leighton of the Existing Homes Alliance Scotland stresses the importance of energy efficiency.

The targets are extremely important in setting the direction, adds Prof Bell, but he adds they must be backed up by action.

He says heat pumps are a very high capital cost, so they are best put in new builds.