Marches LEP awards nearly £340,000 of energy grants in green boost for business

Nearly £340,000 in grants has been awarded across the Marches under a new scheme to improve energy efficiency and drive down carbon emissions.

Thirty companies and community groups across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin have been awarded the funding from the Marches Energy Grant – the first wave of grants made through the £1.5million programme.

In total, £339,000 has been awarded to help fund projects worth £1.3million – leading to projected carbon savings of 276 tonnes.

The grants will help fund a range of energy and carbon-saving projects, including the installation of solar panels, electric heating upgrades, LED lighting, air filtration and dust extraction systems and the purchase of an electric forklift.

Around 100 businesses and community groups have also been assisted with support and advice by the programme to date.

Marches LEP chief executive Rachel Laver said the grant programme had been inundated with requests for funding.

“The Marches Energy Grant is a real win-win and shows the LEP delivering on its promise to take decisive, positive action to support our business community and drive down carbon emissions.

“Not only do all these projects help cut energy costs for the businesses and groups involved, they all deliver significant savings on carbon emissions, demonstrating that sustainability and good business practice can go hand in hand.

“We have been delighted with the response to the scheme, which is part of a wider £4million package of measures we have introduced to safeguard the region’s energy security, make sure energy is being used as efficiently as possible and develop a flourishing and sustainable economy.

“Each of the grant recipients also benefitted from a free energy audit to ensure that the projects we are funding deliver the best-possible energy and carbon emissions savings for the investment.”

The Marches Energy Grant programme is administered for the LEP by Worcestershire County Council and offered maximum grants of £20,000.

The LEP brings together the business community, the public sector and academia to drive economic growth across Shropshire, Herefordshire, 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 8,500 businesses across the region last year and delivered access to more than 130 grant and support programmes.