Over the next two years the Carbon Trust are offering energy opportunity assessments and support packages to small and medium sized businesses (companies with fewer than 250 employees) in England, Wales and Scotland (see below for Northern Ireland see below) to help them identify energy saving opportunities, and to develop a robust business case for the purchase of the appropriate equipment.
Through the Carbon Trust Green Business Fund projects that comply with the requirements of the fund are being offered up to 15% of the cost of a project to a maximum of £10,000. They will also help you to find equipment suppliers who can provide detailed quotes and who have a track record of delivering energy saving projects. In addition, a series of workshops have been scheduled to help work out how best to identify and implement energy saving opportunities, such as replacing inefficient lights or installing a voltage optimiser.
This support is available on a first come, first served basis, aimed at small and medium sized businesses in England, Scotland and Wales. Therefore any club that is interested should make an application as soon as possible.
The Carbon Trust have already helped several golf clubs by giving them an onsite energy survey and provided them with a report that shows exactly how much money they could save by changing some of their energy consuming equipment – all at no cost to them.
Once the report has been provided, the trust offers further no-cost support to help the golf club find trusted suppliers of equipment, brief them and get good quality quotes back. Finally, they will then provide the financial support in the form of a non-repayable capital contribution of 15% of the project cost, up to £10,000, which is financed at the completion of the project.
Clubs in Northern Ireland are not eligible for the Green Business Fund but can apply to the Carbon Trust for an interest-free loan. Clubs in Wales can also apply for an interest-free loan as well as to the Green Business fund.
The Carbon Trust can be contacted by emailing [email protected] or calling 020 7832 4773 to speak to one of their advisors.
By GCMA
