More firms to get help to reduce energy and cut carbon

More businesses and organisations will be eligible for help to reduce their energy costs and cut carbon emissions under a programme involving the University of Derby.

So far, more than £715,000 has been awarded through the Green Entrepreneurs Fund, which Derbyshire County Council is running in collaboration with the university.

But now changes made to the eligibility criteria for the programme’s Small Grants Fund mean even more businesses and organisations will be able to access funding to help implement green energy plans to reduce their energy costs.

Small grants from £6,000 up to a maximum of £20,000 can be applied for towards a range of projects such as installing solar panels, replacing old heating systems with air/ground source heat pumps and fitting electric vehicle charging points.

Applicants will be required to show how their proposals would cut carbon emissions and how they are planning to reduce their emissions to net zero.

This means reducing carbon emissions right down to the lowest possible level and offsetting those that cannot be cut through measures such as planting more trees.

Councillor Tony King, the county council’s cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration, said: “We know that small businesses are feeling the pinch with rising energy bills and costs of materials and goods generally.

“This change to the Small Grants Fund criteria means that we can help more small businesses to invest in energy efficiency measures to help cut their costs as well as their carbon footprint.”

As well as the Small Grants Fund, the programme is also accepting applications to the Green Entrepreneurs Scholarship Fund to support individuals to retrain with skills to enable them to enter the field of low carbon, green energy.

And the Green Entrepreneurs Demonstrator Fund is also open for applications from high quality, larger scale carbon-cutting projects in Derbyshire.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, said: “The university has an ambition to make Derbyshire synonymous with sustainable business.

“This extra funding capacity to support businesses on the journey to zero carbon is invaluable, particularly at a time when energy costs are rising.

“We look forward to seeing the innovative projects that can be supported as a result.”

For more information about the Green Entrepreneurs Fund visit here.