There are several grant schemes which offer funding to small scale renewables, particularly for the domestic and community sector.

 

Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP)

 

The Government's Clear Skies funding programme was replaced by the Low Carbon Buildings Programme in April 2006. The new programme is managed by the Energy Saving Trust and offers grants for domestic, community and larger microgeneration installations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

In November 2005, the Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks MP announced £30 million of funding over 3 years for the LCBP. In March 2006's budget statement, it was announced that there would be a further £50 million for the programme. Of the £30 million budget, £1.5 million was carried forward to ease the transition between the PV and Clear Skies programmes. Under the LCBP there are two streams of funding available, Stream 1 and Stream 2. The outline of the different funding options are listed below.

 

Stream 1 offers grants for householders and small to medium enterprises to install microgeneration on small buildings, as well as for non-profit community organisations such as registered charities, community groups, local authorities and schools to install microgeneration on community buildings.

 

The level of grants offered for wind energy under Stream 1 are:

 

• For individual householders & small businesses a maximum of £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower
• For community applications, grants will be up to 50% of the capital and installation cost of the microgeneration technologies installed and is currently set at a maximum of £50,000. These grants will be awarded competitively.

 

 

Stream 2 offers grants for large projects from non-profit community organisations as above plus businesses, building developers, energy services companies, and the public sector to install microgeneration on large-scale building projects.

 

The level of grants offered for wind energy under Stream 2 are:

 

• Category 1 – for large retrofit projects grants will be up to £100,000 per project.
• Category 2 – for major refurbishment and new build projects grants will be available of up to £1 million per project.

 

For more information on the LCBP and how to apply for a grant, visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org or call the free phone helpline on 0800 915 7722.

 

 

Scotland

 

Grants are available for those living in Scotland through the Scottish Community and Household Renewables Initiative.

 

See also a report from 1998 on financial viability of wind energy for farms and rural businesses. Some of the support mechanisms have changed, but it's still full of useful information.

 

 

 

There are also anumber of other schemes under which finance can be sourced:

 

Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA)

The government run ECA scheme is accessible to businesses allowing for the total cost of investment in a number of energy saving products to be written off against the taxable profits in the same period during which the investment was made.

There are 14 preferable technologies, such as lighting, heat pumps, solar thermal systems, pipework insulation and boiler equipment. Within these is a list of acceptable products, the price of which can be claimed on the tax return, in the same way as other capital allowances. We can offer you help and advice on ECA’s and make sure that your project uses approved manufacturers products and is both technically and financially viable, assuring you that it will be possible to claim back against the initial capital cost outlay.

Interest-free energy loans.

The Carbon Trust are offering interest-free loans from £5,000 to £100,000 to small to medium sized businesses for the investment of energy saving or renewable equipment, which may help to fund your investment into either Enviko distributed products or other energy efficiency measures or solutions. The unsecured loans are obtainable through the government backed Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, for up to 4 years with no arrangement fees. Enviko can access funding on your behalf providing the requisite technical specifications and energy analysis required to provide security in the worth of the project.

 

Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP)

CSEP is an open grants programme run by Building Research Establishment (BRE) as an award partner of the Big Lottery Fund (BIG). BRE carries out research, consultancy, training and testing to help create better buildings and communities.

The Community Sustainable Energy Programme will provide £8 million to community-based organisations for the installation of microgeneration technologies, such as solar panels or wind turbines and energy efficiency measures including loft and cavity wall insulation. It will also provide £1 million for project development grants that will help community organisations establish a microgeneration and energy efficiency installation will work for them.

 

It aims to achieve the following outcomes:

 

• Reduction in CO2 emissions
• Increased community awareness of climate change and how changes to our behaviour can reduce it
• Increased skills base of local trades (for example, local builders and building-service subcontractors working on renewable energy projects for the first time)
• Reduction in energy bills
• Reduction in reliance on imported energy and increased independence from commercial energy suppliers
• Stronger partnerships within local communities with lasting social benefits
• Growth of local enterprise in new technologies.

 

Applications are being accepted now. Capital grants will be awarded on a competitive basis at quarterly Selection Panel meetings.

 

 

Please feel free to get in contact with us by email or call 0845 189 9894 to discuss any of your requirements.