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Green Grants and Funding

Wise Up brings you its latest and most up to date green grants and funding guide for businesses in the UK and the nations and regions...

The economic austerity and the Coalition Government’s commitment to reduce the public deficit mean there are fewer grants and funding available then there once were to help businesses transition to a low carbon economy. Agencies such as the Carbon Trust and WRAP have seen their budgets slashed, while the English regional development agencies, which have held the purse strings of much of the green funding at a regional level, are being dismantled.

However, new funding schemes are coming on stream, ranging from energy efficiency loans to grants to encourage greener forms of transport.

While a good deal of investment uncertainty exists because the green sector is still seen as risky, vulnerable to Government policy changes, there are a number of venture capital funds to tap into for innovative green projects and start-ups.

Early-stage renewable and clean technologies, whether they apply to marine, carbon capture, smart grids or the built environment, can also seek funding via bodies such as the Technology Strategy Board and the Energy Technologies Institute.

Meanwhile, the Green Investment Bank, with £3 billion of Government funding behind it, is set to open for business in autumn 2012 subject to State Aid approval. From April, a BIS team will start supporting priority areas. Areas earmarked for initial funding include offshore wind, waste and energy efficiency. If not all directly, businesses both large and small will benefit from this important new tranche of green funding, DECC officials have said.

Our latest Green Grants & Funding Guide aims to provide businesses with the most up-to-date information on national, regional and local green grants and funding available in the UK.

UK-wide Funding

FUNDING TO HELP REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Energy Efficiency Financing Scheme
The £550 million Energy Efficiency Financing scheme was launched by Siemens Financial Services and the Carbon Trust in April 2011. The scheme allows businesses to invest in energy efficient technology and to benefit from affordable payments that can be offset against the energy savings made from using the equipment. Financing from Siemens Financial Services can be arranged from £1000, and there are potentially no upper limits.

For more information click here.

Plug-in Car Grant
Businesses can benefit from the Government’s £5000 ultra-low emission vehicle grant. They will receive a grant of 25 per cent towards the cost of an electric or hybrid vehicle, up to a maximum of £5,000.

The Plug-In Car Grant went live on the January 1 2011 when nine cars were give eligibility to receive the grant. As of June 30 2011, 680 cars had been ordered through the Plug-in Car Grant.

For more information about the grant and the vehicles eligible click here.

Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme
Operating until 2015 through the Department for Transport, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government, the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme (MSRS) assists companies with the operating costs associated with running rail or inland water freight transport instead of road, where rail or inland waterway transport is more expensive. The aim of the scheme is to shift the mode of transport for freight away from the road, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

For more information click here.

Marco Polo II
Launched in 2003, the Marco Polo programme co-funds projects that ease traffic congestion by moving freight from road to more environmentally friendly modes, such as short sea shipping, rail and inland waterways. The €450 million European programme is aimed at industry and has annual calls in July. Projects must involve a cross-border route.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR GREEN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Eco-Innovation
Part of the European Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP), the £200 million Eco-Innovation programme supports eco-innovative products and services in Europe and helps SMEs overcome barriers that may hamper their commercial success. Calls are held every May.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste Prevention Loan Fund
A £1 million fund managed by WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) to support businesses in England looking to introduce green business models and processes that make more efficient use of material resources.

Businesses of any size are able to apply for loans through the fund, which launched in July 2011. Initially, though, it will target retail businesses that sell electrical and electronic products, clothing and furniture.

The fund will provide loans of between £20,000 and £100,000.

For more information click here.

Mixed Plastics Loan Fund
The WRAP Mixed Plastics Loan Fund (MPLF) is a limited fund of up to £2 million to address the reprocessing capacity gap that currently exists for mixed plastics within England. Loans range from £50,000 to £1 million and can provide asset backed loans for plant, machinery and/or groundworks.

For more information click here.

VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING

Carbon Trust Venture Capital
Carbon Trust Investments Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Carbon Trust and makes early stage venture capital and seed investments to accelerate the commercialisation of clean energy businesses in the UK. The £46 million fund is leveraged with other private funding.

For more information click here.

Early-Stage Technology Investment
TTP Ventures provides investment and support for IT, medtech and clean technology companies. TTP supports The Carbon Trust Entrepreneur Fast Track and helps to develop new businesses in the UK low carbon sector.

For more information click here.

Environmental Technologies Fund
A Europe-wide venture capital fund that can invest in high growth potential companies that operate in the environmental and low carbon technology sectors, often supporting companies through more than one investment round, committing €5 million to €15 million overall.

For more information click here.

The Foresight Group
This Foresight Group provides capital for early stage and developing technology businesses and runs the Foresight Environmental Fund and the Foresight Solar Fund, invests up to £5 million.

For more information click here.

Good Energies
A global investor in clean energy project development, technology and related services, primarily focusing on two phases of investment:
• development equity team provides capital to support developers of projects, across all clean technologies
• a venture capital team makes early stage investments on a global basis across the green technology sector.

For more information click here.

Low Carbon Accelerator
Aims to provide the capital to accelerate the growth of businesses with products and services that will deliver immediate reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. Low Carbon Accelerator's investment focus is on clean energy, cleaner fuels, energy efficiency and building technologies. It focuses predominantly on businesses in the UK, Europe and North America.

For more information click here.

Oxford Capital Partners Limited
Oxford Capital invests and partners with businesses across three super-growth sectors –sustainability, healthcare, and communications. It specialises in assisting companies to achieve scale internationally and to build value fast. Minimum investment is £250,000 and maximum is £5 million.

For more information click here.

The Virgin Green Fund
An independent private equity firm investing growth capital in the renewable energy and resource efficiency sectors in North America and Europe, deploying growth capital in product, equipment and service companies with proven commercial success.

For more information click here.

The Bridges Sustainable Property Fund
The Bridges Sustainable Property Fund is an entrepreneurial property fund that invests in properties in regeneration areas and environmentally sustainable buildings. It seeks to make property investments that have the potential to make strong financial returns as well as delivering social and environmental impact.

For more information click here.

Funding for Northern Ireland

FUNDING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Carbon Trust 0 Per Cent Business Loans
The Carbon Trust provides 0 per cent loans to help businesses in Northern Ireland purchase energy efficient equipment, such as lighting, boilers and insulation, from £3,000 to £100,000.

For more information click here.

Energy Efficiency Grants
Irish energy company Energia provides free energy efficiency grants to energy conscious businesses installing, energy efficient lighting, energy saving refrigeration projects (HySave) and projects involving the installation of variable speed drives to pumps, fans and compressors.

For more information click here.

NIE Energy Retail Refrigeration Package
A scheme providing support towards a retail refrigeration package including doors and LED lighting, which will help retailers save on energy costs and energy bills. A grant of up to 20 per cent (maximum £4,000) is available.

For more information click here.

Nie Energy Variable Speed Drives
A scheme that provides a grant towards the cost of installing: variable speed drives for pumps; variable speed drives for ventilation fans; variable speed drives for air compressors; variable speed drives for refrigeration equipment and control upgrades on air compressor systems. The amount of grant offered will vary depending on the energy savings attributable to the size of the installations.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING AND FORESTRY

Agri-Food Processing and Marketing Grant
This scheme aims to improve the economic performance and international competitiveness of NI's agri-food processing, horticulture and forestry sectors through use of technology together with sound manufacturing and environment management practices. It also aims to encourage greater integration and collaboration between producers and processors. The scheme will provide support for capital investment to erect new buildings, refurbish old premises or buy new equipment.

For more information click here.

Short Rotation Coppice Scheme
The Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) Scheme aims to assist in developing the wider renewable energy market by increasing the amount of SRC grown for energy use in Northern Ireland. The short rotation coppice scheme is open to famers and land managers with at least three hectares of agricultural land available for planting.

For more information click here.

Supply Chain Development Programme
The Supply Chain Development Programme aims to improve co-operation and collaboration in the agri-food and forestry sectors leading to more effective and sustainable supply chains.

For more information click here.

The Woodland Grant Scheme
The Woodland Grant Scheme is open to anyone who wishes to plant on an area of at least 0.2 hectares.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Urban Development Grants
Provided by Department for Social Development, Urban Development Grants are discretionary grants used for promoting job creation, inward investment and environmental improvement, by developing vacant, derelict or underused land or buildings in priority areas.

For more information click here.

Funding for Scotland

Funding for Wales

FUNDING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The Carbon Trust 0 Per Cent Business Loans
This programme provides 0 per cent loans to help businesses in Wales to purchase energy-efficient equipment, such as lighting, boilers and insulation. Min amount: £3,000 to Max amount: £100,000.

For more information click here.

Ecological Footprint Grant
Grants for Welsh organisations to help them reduce Wales’ ecological footprint and promote sustainable development through environmentally conscious techniques that inform their policies and programmes.

Grants will be awarded up to a maximum of 75 per cent of the total cost of the project, up to a maximum of £5,000 per financial year per organisation.

For more information click here.

Groundwork - North Wales
The scheme aims to build sustainable communities through joint environmental action. This involves getting residents, businesses and other local organisations involved in practical projects that improve quality of life, bring about regeneration and lay the foundations for sustainable development.

For more information click here.

Supporting Sustainable Living Grant scheme
This grant scheme gives funds and advice for projects to help people move to a more sustainable and lower carbon lifestyle. The grant scheme is open to organisations from all sectors. Individuals cannot apply. The maximum size of grant will be around £15,000.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT

Wales SME Recycling Support Grant Scheme
Designed to significantly increase recycling rates in Wales by providing financial support to organisations that are able to offer recycling services for Welsh SMEs. Grants can support up to 30 per cent of capital expenditure (and initial promotional costs) of a project, with funding available up to £50,000.

For more information click here.

Wales Recycled Content Grant Scheme
Grant scheme that offers capital support to SME manufacturing businesses that want to use recyclate as an input, or increase recyclate use in manufacturing processes or packaging. Support will include grant funding of up to 30 per cent (to a maximum of £50,000) for Welsh SME businesses who are seeking to incorporate or increase the use of recyclate in their manufacturing processes or packaging. Grants are available for capital expenditure and initial promotional costs required to raise awareness of new products.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR GREEN GOODS AND SERVICES

0% Loans for Welsh Renewable Energy Installers
0 per cent business loans of £1,500 - £2,800 are available from the Carbon Trust to help organisations finance the cost of MCS certification.

For more information click here.

Wood Energy Business Scheme
Grants for Welsh SME businesses and community groups installing wood fuelled heating systems; plus support for setting up clean wood fuel supply businesses in Wales. The Wood Energy Business Scheme (WEBS) is a £17 million pound capital grant scheme. It draws down its funding from European ERDF funds via the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO), and will run until 2013.

For more information click here.

FUNDING FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING AND FORESTRY

Farming Connect
This programme provides support to improve the business performance and long-term sustainability of farm businesses in Wales. It includes specialist technical advice, training, and assistance from a consultant who can help develop an action plan of future activities.

For more information click here.

Conservation Grants
Farmers in Wales can obtain financial support to assist them in funding projects that care for the wildlife, habitats and the historical and cultural features on their land.

For more information click here.

Funding for the South East

FUNDING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

South East Sustainability Loan Fund
Managed by Finance South East, and funded by South East European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Competitiveness Programme, the South East Sustainability Loan Fund, helps southeast businesses improve their sustainability. The fund makes loans of between £20,000 and £200,000 to businesses that are:
• Operating in new and emerging ecologically driven market sectors
• Delivering products or technologies that will contribute to a reduction in the region’s ecological footprint; or
• Delivering innovation in other business sectors that result in more resource efficient business practices.
•
For more information click here.

FUNDING TO ENCOURAGE GREENER TRANSPORT

Sustainable Routes
Sustainable Routes offers grants of up to £1,000 to businesses that want to cut travel costs by adopting new ways of working. Businesses that have been trading for at least two years and have a turnover of at least £75,000 can apply.

For more information click here.

LOCAL GREEN FUNDING

Green Travel Grant – Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council offers local businesses grants of up to £5000 to encourage workers to use their cars less. The money has to be for a specific travel plan, and the applicant must match the grant with an equal amount.

For more information click here.

Aylesbury Vale Business Grant
Grants of up to £5000 are available to businesses within Aylesbury Vale District Council to promote sustainable growth. Applicants must be:
• businesses with less than 30 employees
• have been trading for at least three months
• be planning to employ at least one new full-time employee within 18 months.

For more information click here.

BETRE (Business Excellence Through Resource Efficiency) East Sussex Green Action Grants
BETRE Green Action Grants offer 50 per cent match funding up to a maximum of £500, towards the costs of businesses implementing a resource saving idea.

For more information click here.

Chicester District Council Grants and Concessions
The Chichester District Council's Grants and Concessions scheme was launched on September 1 2010. The total sum available for capital grants is £250,000, and the sum available for revenue grants amounts to £29,000.

Businesses must meet a number of criteria to receive funding including promoting active and integrated communities to further develop cohesion, particularly in the rural areas, by maintaining and enhancing the environment and facilities.

For more information click here.

Interreg IVB North Sea Programme
The North Sea Programme aims to expand the scope of territorial co-operation and focus on high quality projects in innovation, the environment, accessibility, and sustainable and competitive communities. Open to SMEs in Kent and the Medway, the seventh call for funding is in September 2011. Calls will be launched at intervals until all funds are allocated.

For more information click here.

Interreg IVA Channel Programme
The Interreg IVA France (Channel) – England Programme aims to promote a space of common citizenship fostering a sense of belonging to a cross-border area, between the French and English partners through projects supporting the launch of new enterprises, building attractive common space to live and promoting renewable energies.

SMEs in Brighton and Hove, East and West Sussex, Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Medway and Kent can apply for funding.

For more information click here.

Interreg IVA Two Seas Programme
The Two Seas Programme has three priorities:
• creating an economically competitive, attractive and accessible area
• promoting and enhancing a safe and healthy environment
•improving quality of life.

SMEs in Brighton and Hove, East and West Sussex, Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Medway and Kent can apply for funding. Calls are planned in November 2011 and May 2012.

For more information click here.

Funding for East of England

Funding for the East Midlands

Funding for the West Midlands

Funding for the North East

Funding for the North West

Funding for the South West

Funding for the North of England

FUNDING TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Co2Sense
A not-for-profit company financed by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund to help improve resource efficiency across Yorkshire and the Humber. CO2Sense provides advice, investment and support to develop renewable energy technology in Yorkshire and Humber.

For more information click here.

Innovative Resource Efficiency Projects (Resource Efficiency Yorkshire)
Financial assistance is available for businesses, up to £25,000, in Yorkshire and the Humber to carry out projects that improve resource efficiency across a number of key sectors, financed by Yorkshire Forward via the European Regional Development Fund.

For more information click here.

The Farm Resource Efficiency Programme (FREP)
FREP is a capital grants programme available to help farmers improve the overall economic performance of their holdings through the introduction of new technologies to promote energy, manure and water resource efficiency.

For more information click here.

LOCAL GREEN FUNDING

Kirklees Council Green Business Grants
Kirklees Council and the Green Business Network (GBN) are offering grant funding, up to £1,000, to help Kirklees Micro Businesses to introduce energy efficient measures to reduce their environmental impact, save money, and in the process reduce their carbon emissions.

For more information click here.

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