Marches LEP launches £1.5million energy grants scheme – with £20,000 per business available

A new £1.5million scheme to help businesses improve their energy efficiency and drive down carbon emissions has been launched by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Marches Energy Grant is open to all businesses in the region and offers a free energy efficiency audit and grants of up to £20,000 towards more energy efficient equipment to cut power bills and emissions.

The grant is part of a £4 million package of measures introduced by the Marches LEP to safeguard the region’s energy security, make sure power is being used as efficiently as possible and develop a flourishing and sustainable economy.

Rachel Laver, Marches LEP chief executive, said the Marches Energy Grant would offer vital financial support to businesses of all shapes and sizes in every corner of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin at a time when it was most needed.

“The soaring cost of energy is one of the biggest issues to impact business in recent years and the Marches LEP is leading the response to the crisis,” said Rachel.

“Our Marches Energy Grant will offer free advice and grants of up to £20,000 for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for businesses from all sectors and for community buildings across The Marches.

The grant would form up to a 40% contribution to the overall cost of energy improvement work at any company which successfully applied for it.

The LEP brings together the business community, the public sector and academia to drive economic growth across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, and has invested £196million in the region over the last decade.

For more information about the Marches Energy Grant and to start an application visit www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/ marches-energy-grant

Make net zero a reality with our free advisory support

Taking action on climate change can sometimes feel overwhelming. The first step a business can take is to measure its current carbon footprint and assess where emissions can be reduced.

Worcestershire County Council has launched a new programme, aimed at supporting businesses across the county to reduce their carbon emissions and energy costs.

Making carbon reduction easier

The Clean Growth Programme provides businesses with free specialist decarbonisation advice and individual assessments to identify where existing energy consumption can be reduced and energy efficiency improved.

In addition to the advice, businesses will gain access to Worcestershire’s Decarbonisation Portal, which allows businesses to measure their carbon footprint and generate clear, long-term decarbonisation plans.

To be eligible to apply, you need to be a Worcestershire SME in one of the following sectors:

Manufacturing (including science and medical, food and drink)

Information Technology (Cyber Security/digital)

Business and Professional Services (restricted to business to business and non-brokerage services)

Agri-technology

Construction

Transport and logistics

Tourism

Why now?

Cutting your carbon footprint brings a host of benefits, not only to the environment, but to your organisation, increasing your efficiency, resilience, competitiveness, positive branding, and cost savings.

To find out more, please visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/decarbonisation_ reviews or email BusinessDecarbonisation@worcestershire.gov.uk