Grants will help improve energy efficiency

A new £1.5million scheme to help businesses improve their energy efficiency and drive down carbon emissions has been launched by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Marches Energy Grant is open to all businesses in the region and offers a free energy efficiency audit and grants of up to £20,000 towards more energy efficient equipment to cut power bills and emissions.

The grant is part of a £4million package of measures introduced by the Marches LEP to safeguard the region’s energy security, make sure power is being used as efficiently as possible, and develop a flourishing and sustainable economy.

Rachel Laver, Marches LEP chief executive, said the Marches Energy Grant would offer vital financial support to businesses of all shapes and sizes in every corner of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin at a time when it was most needed.

“The soaring cost of energy is one of the biggest issues to impact business in recent years and the Marches LEP is leading the response to the crisis.

“Our Marches Energy Grant will offer free advice and grants of up to £20,000 for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures for businesses from all sectors and for community buildings across The Marches.

“Experts will carry out an energy audit at your company and then give you a detailed report about how you cut your usage to drive down costs and emissions. Grants will be available to introduce energy-saving measures and we will also be running networking and webinar events.

“The grant will build on the success of previous programmes, including the Business Energy Efficiency Programme and the Marches Renewable Energy Scheme and firmly underlines the LEP’s commitment to developing a sustainable, responsible economy which helps address the climate crisis head on.”

The grant would form up to a 40 per cent contribution to the overall cost of energy improvement work at any company which successfully applied for it.

The LEP brings together the business community, the public sector and academia to drive economic growth across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, and has invested £196million in the region over the last decade.

Its business support service – the Marches Growth Hub – supported more than 15,000 businesses across the region in the 2021/22 financial year and helped more than 800 people start a new business.

For more information about the Marches Energy Grant and to start an application visit https://www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/marches-energy-grant/

Pictured: Rachel Laver