SMEs offered new £7m fund to improve energy efficiency and cut bills

Small and medium enterprises across England, Scotland and Wales will be able to take active steps towards reducing their energy use by accessing funds available through the £7 million ‘Green Business Fund’.

The Carbon Trust will offer energy-saving training, cost-saving assessments, implementation advice and capital for the installation of energy efficient technologies.

Eligible companies can apply for funding covering up to 15% of a project, up to a maximum of £10,000.

It can be used for a number of technologies including LEDs, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and energy efficiency controls across a range of business sector such as manufacturing, retail and hospitality.

The Carbon Trust expects the scheme, which hopes to support up to 2,000 businesses, to enable investment totalling £55 million and deliver savings of almost £130 million.

Hugh Jones, Managing Director, Advisory at the Carbon Trust said: “Our experience of working with thousands of companies across the UK indicates that year-on-year savings of 20% to 30% can be delivered through action on energy efficiency. We’d encourage smaller companies to apply to make the most of the fund on offer in order to realise significant savings on their bottom line.”

HeatingSave – the perfect energy and money-saving solution for SMEs

SME owners who’re particularly worried about the adverse effects energy price hikes might have on their bottom lines should seriously consider investing in a high-end solution designed specifically to help them optimize their energy consumption, and this is specifically where the HeatingSave Building Energy Management System could help.

By using data coming from a variety of sources (boiler flow and return sensors, internal and external temperature sensors, occupancy sensors, humidity sensors, etc.), HeatingSave optimizes a building’s boiler-based central heating system and helps customers save anywhere between 20 and 30%+ on their bills.

HeatingSave is also approved to work and save fuel within the Energy Technology List, which is managed by the Carbon Trust on behalf of the Government. It is also approved by the Department of Energy & Climate Change and the Energy Savings Trust and was specified by the Building Research Establishment for the energy efficient homes retro-fit program, called The Greenhouse Project.