New Green energy grant scheme launched

December 23, 2019

A new scheme has been launched to help businesses across the Marches meet the cost of switching to Green energy.
The Marches Renewable Energy Grant Scheme can help small and medium sized enterprises across Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin get a 50 per cent grant towards installing renewable energy sources.
Project manager Adrian Marshall said grants would be awarded only for new installations under the scheme, which is being managed by Herefordshire Council and supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.
Mr Marshall said the scheme had been designed to be as straightforward as possible and covered a range of renewable technologies including wind power, solar energy, air-sourced heat pumps, ground-sourced energy supplies and biomass.
“This grant scheme offers a real opportunity for businesses across the region to switch to sustainable and renewable energy supplies by meeting half the cost of installing these new technologies on their premises.
“There is no maximum grant, but installations are expected to be in the range of 4 to 200kWp. Eligible applicants include statutory and non-statutory public funded organisations/bodies, Higher and Further Education institutions, voluntary community organisations, private sector companies and not-for-profit organisations.”
Gill Hamer, director of the Marches LEP, said the scheme would help the Marches meet its ambitions to increase the use of renewable and green energy sources. “This scheme offers real financial help to businesses across our region to plan for the future by making their energy supply as sustainable and efficient as possible,” she said.
The first grant award has already been made to Frank H. Dale Ltd of Leominster. The major structural steelwork fabricator received a 50% grant award for roof mounted solar panels to help reduce energy costs and the environmental footprint at the company’s new state of the art production facility in the town.
Director, Steven Dale, said: “Our business sector has extremely tight margins and therefore any gains that can be found like this are worth a lot both in competitiveness and help with investment. We see the fact that this particular investment also reduces our carbon footprint as a real positive.”
Councillor Trish Marsh, Herefordshire Council Cabinet member for Environment, Economy and Skills, said: “I am delighted that Herefordshire companies and organisations are able to benefit from the Marches Renewable Energy project which forms part of the council’s commitment to combatting climate change and working towards a zero carbon economy.”
The scheme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is now inviting expressions of interest from companies, who must be based within the Marches area.
If you would like your renewable energy installation to be considered for grant support from MarRe, you should complete the expression of interest form and return by email to delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk.
For more information about the project, visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/MarRE or you can email EEM@herefordshire.gov.uk or call 01432 260064.

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The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has now ceased trading and transferred all its functions to Shropshire Council working with Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council, in line with the UK Government's plans for devolution.

The Marches LEP was established in 2011 and hands over an impressive legacy from its 13-year life. In that time the LEP invested over £196m in projects across the Marches, securing in excess of £100m of match funding and supported more than 66,000 business interactions.

The schemes supported have made tangible differences to local communities, increasing skills, creating jobs and improving the physical appearance of many towns.

We would like to thank all the LEP Board Members who have given their time freely over the life of the LEP, as well as all the staff who worked for the LEP over the years. We also want to thank our delivery partners, local education providers and local, regional and national stakeholders who helped us achieve so much.

The Marches Growth Hub will continue to support businesses and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford and Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Each of the three Local Authorities will also continue to provide direct business support locally. Details of this support will be available through the Marches Growth Hub website and from the Local Authorities directly. Website: www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk | email: enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk.

The Marches Careers Hub will continue to be delivered and will be managed by Shropshire Council, supported by Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire Councils. Website: www.marchescareershub.co.uk | email: info@marchescareershub.co.uk

For any queries about Getting Building Fund (GBF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Marches Investment Fund (MIF) projects supported by the Marches LEP please contact: gary.spence@shropshire.gov.uk

For any finance queries please contact: michelle.hodgkiss@shropshire.gov.uk

The solvent liquidation of the Marches LEP is being managed by the Evelyn Partners Limited. For any matter related to this please contact: Camilla.Mulholland@evelyn.com

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