Funding

Want to find out how to fund energy projects?

A range of grants and offers exist for those interested in energy efficiency and/or renewable energy projects or installations in their homes.  These grants and offers come from central Government, energy suppliers or local councils, with the main sources of funding available through national programmes such as the Energy Efficient Commitment, Warm Front, EST's Low Carbon Buildings programme (and its predecessor Clear Skies) and the Solar Grants Scheme.

Further information for these programmes is provided below.

In addition to this businesses and industry can benefit from a range of financial incentives relating to energy. The principal source of information is the Carbon Trust, further information is below.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC)
Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment energy suppliers of a certain size are required by Government to achieve targets for the improvement of domestic energy efficiency. Energy suppliers have offers that significantly reduce the costs of installing a range of energy efficiency measures. Contact electricity suppliers direct to see what they have on offer…

Warm Front
Warm Front is a Government funded scheme in England which provides free grants of up to £2,500 to households on certain benefits who may need help to improve the heating and energy efficiency of their homes.

Local Authorities
Local Authorities offer grants and discounts for local residents to install energy efficiency measures in their home. To find out more contact your Local Authority direct.

Energy Saving Trust
The Energy Saving Trust website includes a Grants and Information database for people interested in finding energy related funding for their homes.
All you need is your postcode to search for grants available in your area.

Carbon Trust
Energy-Efficiency Loans are designed to save businesses money when they replace existing equipment with a more energy-efficient version. Small or medium-sized business, can borrow £5,000 to £100,000* at 0% fixed interest to fund the purchase of equipment such as lighting, boilers or insulation.

Enhanced Capital Allowances
Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECAs) enable a business to claim 100% first year capital allowances on their spending on qualifying plant and machinery. There are three schemes for ECAs:
• Energy saving Plant and machinery
• Low carbon dioxide emission cars and natural gas and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure
• Water conservation plant and machinery

Practical Help for Local Authorities
A comprehensive resource from the Energy Saving Trust, helping local authorities deliver energy efficiency and renewable energy.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Solar Grants Scheme
Grants for householders, businesses and large organisations for PV installations. Grants are available for all sizes of schemes under two streams of funding.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP)
The LCBP programme managed by Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behlaf of DTI will provide grants for microgeneration technologies for householders, community organisations, schools, the public sector and businesses. Microgeneration is the stand alone generation of low carbon heat and/or electricity which for example, could be through solar photovoltaics

Clear Skies
Grants for small scale renewable installations (except PV). Clear Skies is open to householders and community groups and covers technologies such as solar hot water, micro wind and biomass heating systems.

Community Energy
Grants for community heating networks. This grant is available for public sector bodies only …

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

dti – Technology Programme
Over the period 2005-2008, £320 million is available to businesses in the form of grants to support research and development in the technology areas identified by the Technology Strategy Board.

Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust will work with various partners to identify innovative technologies, test concepts, provide viability and define future markets that create real wealth. The Carbon Trust has a number of support and funding vehicles that exist along a development chain from blue sky research though to early stage ventures: Research, Development and Demonstration; Incubator Programme; Technology Acceleration Projects and Venture Capital.

EUROPEAN

Intelligent Energy - Europe
‘Intelligent Energy – Europe’ (EIE) is the Community’s support programme for non-technological actions in the field of energy, precisely in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. The duration of the programme is from 2003-2006. Two of the four funding streams are:

• SAVE - Improvement of energy efficiency and rational use of energy, in particular in the building and industry sectors.
• ALTENER - Promotion of new and renewable energy sources for centralised and decentralised production of electricity and heat and their integration into the local environment and the energy systems.

GENERAL

Climate Change Levy
The levy is part of a range of measures designed to help the UK meet its legally binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is chargeable on the industrial and commercial supply of taxable commodities for lighting, heating and power by consumers in the following sectors of business; Industry, Commerce; Agriculture; Public administration; and other services. The levy does not apply to taxable commodities used by domestic consumers, or by charities for non-business use.