Businesses in Shropshire will soon share in the benefit from funding to help reduce their carbon footprint and move towards Net Zero.

£2.3m has recently been awarded to Worcestershire & the Marches from the pilot Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS).  This additional funding will be administered by Worcestershire County Council, but is available across the Marches, including to businesses in Shropshire.

The programmes offer free energy assessments and grant funding to implement energy efficiency measures to small and medium businesses in the West Midlands. The pilot Business Energy Advice Service is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

In The Marches, UKSPF is individually managed by Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Councils. Worcestershire County Council is delivering the support programmes in partnership with the Councils.

Mark Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said,

“Shropshire Council want to support the Green Economy, one of the county’s key sectors, and combat climate change. This additional essential support for businesses transitioning to Net Zero is a great boost, especially in the current difficult times. It is an initiative that complements the range of net zero projects that are already part of our UKSPF funding programme.

Support like this is key to enabling businesses to increase their resilience and adopt greener practices for the future, while alleviating increasing costs. We encourage eligible businesses to seize the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint and take advantage of the help available to them.”

Part of the support involves a decarbonisation review. The business may then become eligible to apply for grant funding to implement energy-saving initiatives such as renewable technology, LED lighting and energy management. The amount of grant funding on offer will be dependent on location and project.

More information on the Marches Energy Grant Programme can be found on the Marches Growth Hub Website www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/support/marches-energy-grant/.

More information on the projects supported through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund can be found here https://www.investinshropshire.co.uk/uk-shared-prosperity-projects/