In these uncertain times, there’s a renewed focus on jettisoning expensive fossil fuels and strengthening the UK’s energy independence. By investing in the right technology, companies can support this trend and reduce their energy bills.
Low Carbon Workspaces wants to aid businesses in this transition and is offering grants of up to £5,000 to invest in carbon-saving upgrades. This could be a grant for solar panels, battery storage, insulation or lighting.
Grants are available for SMEs based in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, ranging from £1,000 - £5,000 to cover up to a third of the cost of energy improvements. The scheme is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
Eligible projects
To be eligible, projects have to be carried out for a small or medium sized business based in Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes or Northamptonshire.
Eligible projects include the following:
- renewable energy systems, including solar PV and battery storage;
- lighting upgrades;
- building fabric (e.g. insulation);
- equipment upgrades;
- heating and cooling systems;
- electric vehicles;
- energy management.
Certain organisations are not eligible for the grant, including schools, agriculture and banks.
Read case studies from the scheme.
How to apply
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Plan your project and get a quote.
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Submit your application to Low Carbon Workspaces.
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Get a decision within 5 working days.
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Complete your project.
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Send your claim form to Low Carbon Workspaces.
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Receive your grant within 30 working days.
Visit Low Carbon Workspaces to find out more about applying for the grant.
Other grant schemes and financing options
There is no national solar panel grant for businesses, but there are a number of local schemes in various regions. The best place to search for current grants on offer is via the government’s business finance and support page. At the time of writing, there are quite a few grants to help companies across England save money and cut emissions.
Besides securing a grant to help your company buy its solar system outright, you may also consider lease financing or a power purchase agreement (PPA). With a solar PPA, the whole project is externally funded and you buy the solar energy at a rate set below grid cost.
It’s also worth noting that until April 2023, businesses can claim 130% capital allowances on solar PV under the super-deduction scheme.
How Spirit can help
At Spirit, we have over 10 years’ expertise in designing and installing commercial solar PV systems and battery storage. We believe it’s one of the best ways to cut your energy bill and carbon footprint, even without the benefit of this solar panel grant.
For a solar PV or battery quote, which you can use to apply for the Low Carbon Workspaces grant, please give us a call on 0118 951 4490 or email commercial@spiritenergy.co.uk.
