Dft details £1 million low carbon infrastructure fund for fleet operators

The Infrastructure Grant Programme (IGP) was trailed by the DfT in its strategy document, ‘Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future’, published with the Government’s white paper on energy and climate last week.

The grants, which will be managed by Cenex (the UK’s first Centre for Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell technologies), are specifically designed for small-scale infrastructure projects.

Robert Evans, ceo of Cenex, explained: “For fleet operators the cost of installing refuelling or recharging infrastructure has always been a barrier to switching fuel use. This programme will encourage operators to accelerate the introduction of lower carbon technologies into the UK vehicle market, thereby helping cut the UK’s total carbon emissions.”

Grants will be available to cover a range of costs including infrastructure hardware costs, cost of labour (excluding project management) and the cost for civil engineering and ground works for the project.

Any business awarded a grant will be required to make its recharging or refuelling site accessible to third parties.

The DfT’s strategy document separately committed to make up to £30 million available for major electric vehicle infrastructure projects, targeted at a small number of lead cities or regions in the UK.

Earlier this week, the Government announced that the North East would be one of these. As the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) specialising in ultra-low carbon vehicles, the Government has promised an infrastructure of 750 charging points for electric vehicles will be installed over the next two years.

Fleet operators and other organisations interested in applying for funding under the IGP are being encouraged to visit the Cenex website or attend one of the information sessions the organisation is hosting over the next three months.