FUNDING FOR DECARBONISATION PROJECTS
We appreciate that funding is often the key to delivering a project, whether for feasibility studies, detailed design or capital costs. We’re also well aware that funding opportunities are constantly changing so we aim to keep ourselves up to date. Here are some funding routes you might find interesting with links so you can read up on them too.
SHARED PROSPERITY FUND
North Yorkshire Council have launched their SPF Decarbonisation Programme, three programmes of support offering grants of up to £50,000 to both community groups and businesses to achieve their Net Zero goals.
They have three programmes launching in September 2023 for completion by the end of February 2025. These include:
1. Community Climate Action Programme - Support for voluntary or community organisations operating in North Yorkshire to develop and deliver climate action projects, including Decarbonisation plans
2. Business Sustainability Programme - Support for businesses with up to 250 employees, operating in North Yorkshire, to reduce energy bills, minimise carbon footprint and identify new opportunities from net zero, including Sustainability Audits
3. Elderly People Residential Homes Net Zero Audits - Support for Elderly People Residential Care Homes, with up to 250 employees, operating in North Yorkshire, to reduce energy bills, minimise carbon footprint and identify new opportunities from net zero, including Sustainability Audits.
For eligible organisations seeking funding for energy audits or capital works, this is a great opportunity. If you’ve got a fledgling project you’d like to progress - get in touch with the d3a Energy Team
COMMUNITY ENERGY FUND
The new Community Energy Fund follows the success of the former Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF), but the remit has been expanded to include renewable energy investment for both rural and urban areas.
The £10 million funding pot which is due to open in early autumn 2023, is intended to empower local people to develop energy projects to benefit their local areas. Projects will need to generate clean energy, such as rural heat networks or rooftop solar, while kick-starting private investment to scale up projects.
As more detail is released we'll update this information.
YORK & NORTH YORKSHIRE NET ZERO FUND
The second round of the Energy Project Enabling Fund (EPEF) opens in Spring 2023.
The fund provides grants to eligible organisations looking to develop and deliver local energy projects for communal or public benefit.
Grants of £50,000 to £100,000 will be available to eligible organisations to deliver local energy projects.
Grants of £10,000 to £50,000 will also be available to eligible organisations to complete development works preparing local energy projects for delivery.
All successful projects must be completed, and funding drawn down, by the end of March 2024.
PUBLIC SECTOR DECARBONISATION SCHEME
Funding for heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures.
With the target of Net Zero in mind, this scheme provides funds to those organisations that make a successful application. The grants the Scheme provides help pay for energy efficiency measures and reduction of CO2 emissions from heating and offers up to 100% of the cost of capital projects focused on decarbonising buildings.
There are specific funds to install environmentally friendly, low-carbon heat sources to enable ‘end-of-life’ fossil fuel systems such as gas boilers to be replaced. Additional energy efficiency measures for a ‘whole building’ approach to heat decarbonisation is also supported.
For help with expert assistance to apply for this fund see the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund below.
PUBLIC SECTOR LOW CARBON SKILLS FUND
The application process for these funds can be rather complex and therefore The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy offers additional funding in the form of the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF). This enables applicants to pay for experts to assist with the application and provide project support when needed.
The d3associates energy team can assist in all these areas to help your organisation achieve their Net Zero targets.
NON-PUBLIC SECTOR FUNDING
These avenues of funding are ideal for non-public sector groups such as Churches and Community-led organisations to explore
The National Lottery Awards for All A quick way to apply for smaller amounts of funding between £300 and £10,000
The National Lottery Climate Action Fund - Energy and Climate This funding aims to inspire and support communities across the UK to address the energy and climate crisis. Projects should show how communities can address climate change while tackling the energy challenges through community-led climate action.
Fund will be targeted at projects that:
encourage communities to use energy in an environmentally friendly way
bring communities together so that they can explore ways to promote energy efficiency
enable communities to understand and engage with opportunities for clean energy generation, which do not use fossil fuels.
All projects should consider how everyone in the community can get involved with climate action. They must also address any reasons why some people might be left out.
The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) is regulated by Entrust It is an innovative tax credit scheme which enables Landfill Operators to contribute money to enrolled Environmental Bodies to carry out projects that meet environmental objectives contained in The Landfill Tax Regulations 1996 (Regulations).
Centre for Sustainable Energy Provide a list to help community groups find sources of funding for sustainable energy projects.