Presently, we are becoming more knowledgeable of the adverse effects businesses can have upon our environment. To combat this, many local councils and private foundations are offering grants for companies who integrate energy management software into their business.
What is Energy Management Software?
Energy management software (EMS) refers to applications which may provide real-time metering, carbon and sustainability reporting, utility bill tracking, building HVAC and lighting control systems, and/or other energy reviews. Energy management software systems collect real-time interval data from devices by use of interval smart meters. In addition to this, these systems report data on energy consumption, track trend analysis, and also allow users to engage with the data to identify cost-saving opportunities. Not only does this allow companies to cut costs, but it also reduces carbon emissions, promoting a greener economy.
What grants are available?
Many small to medium sized businesses are embracing energy management software to keep their company green and on budget. Luckily, a number of national and local funding opportunities have been created to offset the costs that come with implementing this technology into a business. Most of these funding opportunities are in the form of a grant. Small to medium sized businesses can apply for these grants before implementing their energy management project. Below is a list of current available funding opportunities in the U.K.
List of Available Grants:
Innovate UK Smart Grants: April 2019
Opportunity to apply for a share of up to £25 million to deliver ambitious or disruptive R&D innovations with significant potential for impact on the UK economy. We may consider eligible project costs over £2 million (but not exceeding £3 million), subject to the process set out under ‘Eligibility’. Deadline: 24th, July 2019 https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/346/overview
Detailed Designs of Smart, Local Energy Systems
UK organisations can apply for a share of up to £30 million to develop clean, cheap local energy systems that create prosperous, resilient UK communities. This funding is from the ISCF’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution challenge. You can claim up to £3 million in grant funding. Your project’s total eligible costs must be between £2 million and £20 million. Deadline: 7th, August 2019 https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/350/overview?_sm_au_=iVV7nS1Q8MM528n5
The Community and Environment Fund
The CEF fund has been created to add benefit over and above committed mitigation and statutory compensation to communities along the route that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of Phase One of HS2 from London to West Midlands. There are two types of CEF funding: CEF Local will focus on quality of life and environment in individual communities. CEF Strategic will focus on large projects across several communities and address strategic rather than purely local concerns. Wherever possible, the CEF fund aims to leave a sustainable legacy. https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/hs2funds/pages/Category/community-funds-hs2
Horizon 2020 Energy Efficiency Project
The next energy efficiency call for proposals will be launched on 12 March 2019 and closed on the 3rd September 2019. In 2019, €112 million are available for energy efficiency projects in the areas of consumers, buildings, industry, finance and public authorities. Deadline: 3rd, September 2019 –
https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/horizon-2020-energy-efficiency/112-million-energy-efficiency-2019#inline-nav-5
GC Business Growth Hub
If you have a small or medium-sized business in Greater Manchester, you may be eligible for our new Energy Efficiency Grant of between £1,000 to £12,500 from GC Business Growth Hub, to help with your energy efficiency improvements. The grants are available for a limited time on a first-come first-served basis and can go towards, for example, a new LED lighting system for your premises, heating equipment upgrades, replacement drives or motors, or another energy efficiency project that your business needs. https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/news/2019/04/energy-efficiency-grant
Reading Community Energy Society
Reading Community Energy Society, a Community Benefit Society, is offering grant funding for sustainability initiatives in and around Reading, from £100 to £5,000 for initiatives which meet one or more of the following aims: Improving energy efficiency, Reducing carbon emissions, Support sustainability in the local community including educational projects. Grants are open to organisations which are not-for-profit, charities or an SME (Small or Medium Sized Enterprise) and based within an approximate 15-mile radius of Reading Town Hall. https://readingenergy.coop/
Business Energy Efficiency Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough
BEECP has a pot of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to enable eligible small and medium sized businesses to invest in capital projects and implement energy efficiency measures. The maximum grant available is £20,000 or 25% of eligible project costs (whichever is the smaller), the minimum grant offered is £1,000. Deadline: Late 2019 https://www.beecp.org/about-bee
Business Energy Efficiency Programme: Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Telford & Wrekin and Shropshire
Our ERDF funded Business Energy Efficiency Programme supports eligible businesses in Worcestershire to become more environmentally friendly, and in doing so, save money on energy costs. The support on offer is twofold – firstly to assess your business premises, products and processes to see what improvements can be made with energy usage and secondly, to provide grants of up to £20,000 (up to 40% of the total cost of the project) to implement the recommendations from the assessment and make your business more energy efficient. http://www.business-central.co.uk/BEEP/
Energy Efficiency Grants for East Sussex Businesses
The Sustainable Business Partnership CIC is administering a grant scheme funded by East Sussex County Council designed to help businesses reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. An SME may apply for a grant of up to £1000 to cover a maximum 40% of the total value of their energy efficiency project through the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC. http://sustainablebusiness.org.uk/energy-efficiency-grants-east-sussex/
Low Carbon Workspaces
Open to businesses in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and the Black Country, Low Carbon Workspaces is offering grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to fund energy efficient initiatives such as LED lighting and controls as well as Smart heating and cooling controls. https://www.lowcarbonworkspaces.co.uk/
Agri-Tech Cornwall And Isles Of Scilly Innovation Grants
The Agritech Innovation Grants are managed and administered by Cornwall Development Company. These grants range from £2,500 to £50,000 and are available for eligible small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and can be used towards the cost of a range of Research, Development and Innovation and (RD&I) activities. Deadline: March 2020 https://www.agritechcornwall.co.uk/our-partners/cornwall-development-company/
LoCASE Project
Grant funding up to £20,000 can be awarded to improve your business performance and profitability. The grant will form up to 40% of the cost of your eligible project, with the remainder matched by your business. https://locase.co.uk/partners-and-services/
Low Carbon SME Grants
Funding opportunities are made available through ERDF grants. Approval is based on being able to demonstrate sufficient associated energy savings. Grants are available with a value of up to £12,250. The maximum intervention rate is 50%. For example, the total project expenditure must be a minimum of £6,000 to receive a £3,000 grant. http://www.smelowcarbon.co.uk/services/low-carbon-grants/
Low Carbon Workspaces Energy Cashback
Low Carbon Workspaces is offering £1,000 Cashback when you spend over £2,000 on energy-efficiency projects before end March 2019. Projects should result in a quantifiable carbon saving. Eligible projects include: LED lighting, heating/cooling upgrades, insulation, in addition to energy-efficient servers and printers. https://www.lowcarbonworkspaces.co.uk/energycashback/
Leeds Enterprise Partnership Resource Efficiency Fund
LEP is offering Leeds based businesses with free efficiency assessments, hands-on business support and up to 50% capital grant funding of up to £10,000 to help SMEs looking to become more resource efficient in the way they do business. https://www.the-lep.com/for-business/energy-efficiency-(1)/resource-efficiency-fund/
Low Carbon Growth Support
Low Carbon Growth Support is offering support in the form of grant funding to help you purchase energy efficient equipment, from suppliers of your choice, to reduce your energy consumption and costs with grants of up to £25,000 available towards approximately 40% of your purchase costs. https://www.lowcarbonbcgbs.co.uk/grants
LCR Future Energy
LCR Future Energy is offering businesses in the Liverpool City Region a 30% grant contribution up to £7,500 is available to help fund the cost of external expertise to help SMEs to develop products, systems and processes required by the market. Examples include, IP, quality assurance in addition to marketing. Deadline: Late 2019 http://www.lcrfutureenergy.com/lcr-future-energy/
D2 Energy Efficiency Audits and Grants
Derby SMEs can apply for grants of up to £15,000 towards the cost of energy efficiency measures in their premises (the grant can cover up to 65% of the cost of the work). This could include more efficient lighting, insulation, heating/cooling systems, compressors, motors, and process equipment. Deadline: October 2019 https://www.derby.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/climate-change-and-energy-management/d2ee/
Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme
Coventry City Council is offering eligible businesses grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 to fund up to 40% of the cost of installing energy efficiency measures. http://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/240/coventry_and_warwickshire_green_business_programme/2972/coventry_and_warwickshire_green_business_programme/3
Greener Business Grant
Eligible West Suffolk businesses can apply for up to £1000 to fund capital works designed to improve business environmental performance. http://www.greensuffolk.org/assets/Greenest-County/Business/Funding/Green-Business-Grant-2016.pdf
Past Grant Opportunities
Power Forward Challenge
Through the Power Forward Challenge, the UK and Canada are jointly offering over £11 million to develop the best smart energy systems, including grids and storage, for the needs of the 21st Century, supporting the UK Industrial Strategy Clean Growth Grand Challenge around smart systems for the future. Deadline: March 2019 https://impact.canada.ca/en/challenges/power-forward
Smart Energy Savings (SENS) Competition
The Smart Energy Savings (SENS) competition will support the development, trialling, in addition to the evaluation of innovative feedback products and services that use smart meter data to help domestic consumers reduce their energy consumption. Deadline: 25th, March 2019 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-energy-savings-sens-competition
Smart Energy Greater Lincolnshire
The programme aims to help Greater Lincolnshire more energy efficient until March 2021. Grants for businesses could be offered of up to 38% of the cost of making changes to make businesses more energy efficient. Deadline: 31st, March 2019 https://www.businesslincolnshire.com/explore/funding/search/smart-energy-greater-lincolnshire/
Flexibility Exchange Demonstration Projects: FleX Competition
This competition is looking for innovative and replicable flexibility exchange solutions which provide marketplaces for multiple flexibility products, offered by multiple providers (sellers) of flexibility to multiple buyers. Deadline: 18th, April 2019 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexibility-exchange-demonstration-projects-flex-competition
Storage at Scale Competition
This competition is looking for innovative, replicable solutions which could provide a market competitive alternative to conventional commercial large scale energy storage technologies for example pumped-hydro or batteries (such as lithium ion, lead acid or sodium-sulphur). Deadline: 26th, April 2019 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/storage-at-scale-competition
Business Energy Efficiency Anglia
Fixed Value £1000 grants are available to support any business to implement energy saving measures. Approval will be based on being able to demonstrate sufficient associated energy savings. Deadline: 29th, April 2019 http://www.beeanglia.org/grant-funding/
SBRI – Boosting Access for SMEs to Energy Efficiency (BASEE) Competition Information Day
The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy will be holding an Information Day on 20 March 2019 for the Boosting Access for SMEs to Energy Efficiency (BASEE) competition. The competition will make available up to £5.6m of funding for innovative solutions that reduce transaction costs and encourage the take up of energy efficiency by SMEs. Deadline: 8th, May 2019 https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a7f10841-a105-4daf-9499-3d588869c84b?p=@FQxUlRRPT0=NjJNT08=U
Islington Community Energy Fund
Islington Council wants to commission innovative energy projects from organisations with charitable aims through its Islington Community Energy Fund (ICEF). The fund aims to support community led, innovative energy projects that benefit Islington residents (particularly residents struggling with fuel poverty) and reduce carbon emissions in the borough. Deadline: 31, May 2019 –http://www.energyadvice.islington.gov.uk/energy-advice-team/community-energy/
Utilise Plus Programme
Eligible small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000 to cover up to one-third of the cost of energy efficiency projects. Deadline: June 28th, 2019 http://sustainablebusiness.org.uk/utilise-plus-programme/energy-efficiency-grants/
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