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GUEST ARTICLE
SWITCH ON TO SAVINGS It’s a challenging time for the business community with a vast array of different issues to address including, labour and skill shortages, increasing raw material costs and supply chain issues.
However, it is soaring energy prices and growing uncertainty around the security of supply, that is driving more and more businesses to seek out advice and support to better manage their energy use and identify ways to become more efficient. Add to that increasing demands from key customers to contribute towards addressing climate change and work towards becoming net zero, and arguably, managing energy has never been more crucial.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO DECARBONISATION
Thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), eligible small and medium-sized businesses across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk have been able to access support from the Eastern New 18 connected
Energy (ENE) Programme, led by the University of East London (UEL).
The Eastern New Energy Programme’s main goal is to remove the barriers that prevent the rapid decarbonisation of local communities, business operations, buildings, and transport systems. The programme works with a range of stakeholders including businesses, councils, community organisations, and even individual households. From a business perspective the programme offers support to: - Develop and deliver Net Zero action plans - Switch vehicle fleets to lower carbon alternatives - Design, develop and bring to market new low carbon products and services Specific support available to eligible businesses includes energy audits and Net Zero focused workshops. More details on the full range of support can be accessed at https://www.uel.ac.uk/our-research/ sustainability-research-institute-sri/ eastern-new-energy-project or by emailing ene@uel.ac.uk
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
A key element of the support available to businesses through Eastern New Energy is the SME Grant Scheme that is facilitated on behalf of UEL by the Peterborough based sustainability charity PECT. The grant scheme has been helping businesses to secure financial support to invest in low carbon and energy-efficient measures, such as LED lighting and solar PV. To date over £1 million of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects have received an offer of grant funding support, including those that will facilitate an additional 0.911 GWh of solar PV capacity in the region. If eligible for funding projects can qualify for 20-25 per cent of capital costs, subject to the level of energy savings likely to be secured. “Now is the time to invest in low carbon technology whilst funding is still available. Businesses have a huge role to play in creating a cleaner, greener future. Not only does investing in technology such as LED lights have a positive impact on your carbon
