Companies urged to take up new green grant scheme

The Marches Renewable Energy Grant Scheme (MarRE) has already proved a success in Herefordshire where half a dozen companies and organisations have received significant grants towards the cost of installing renewable energy at their premises. Another half a dozen applications are in the pipeline.

Project manager Adrian Marshall would like small and medium enterprises and eligible organisations such as schools and charities in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to benefit from the scheme, which can provide a 50 per cent grant. The scheme is managed by Herefordshire Council, supported by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

“MarRE has made a very positive start since it was launched but I’m really keen to hear from companies across Shropshire and Telford who could benefit from this grant support,” he said.

“The impact the grant has had on helping companies lower their bills, become more sustainable and reduce carbon emissions has been excellent and we want as many eligible organisations as possible to take advantage.”

Herefordshire manufacturing company Edmo Ltd, based in Ross-on-Wye, has received more than £40,000 towards the cost of installing solar panels on its roof cutting the cost of its energy bill and reducing its carbon footprint by more than 33 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

Structural steelwork fabricator Frank H. Dale Ltd of Leominster has received more than £52,000 towards installing its roof mounted solar panels, which will save more than 44 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Positive

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.”

Marches LEP chief executive Gill Hamer said: “There is no doubt that very many companies and organisations across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin could benefit from this scheme and we would urge them to see how it could help them cut costs and help the environment.”

Mr Marshall said grants would be awarded only for new installations under the scheme, which has been designed to be as straightforward as possible and covers a range of renewable technologies including wind power, solar energy, air-source heat pumps, ground-sourced energy supplies and biomass.

Projects in the range of four to 200kWp can be supported. Eligible applicants include statutory and non-statutory public funded organisations/bodies, higher and further education institutions, voluntary, community and not-for profit organisations and private sector companies. Primary agricultural businesses and domestic premises are not eligible though.

For more information about the project, email adrian.marshall@herefordshire.gov.uk or call 01432 260064.