Stage 1: Free renewable energy generation or low carbon innovation assessment

Renewable energy generation business assessment (No longer available)

A free assessment offering 12 hours of support with a specialist adviser, worth up to £1,000, to consider the renewable energy generation potential of your business. The assessment will look at your business energy usage and site(s) and recommend the most appropriate system(s) for your business.

All renewable energy technologies will be considered including solar panels, heat pumps, biomass boilers and combined heat/power plants.

Low carbon innovation business assessment (Still available)

A free assessment offering 12 hours of support with a specialist advisor, worth up to £1,000, to work with you to develop your low carbon innovation projects. The assessment will be tailored to your business needs and could include analysis of the opportunities for diversification or development in the low carbon products and services sector. This will then be followed by specialist advice according to your business needs.

Stage 2: Renewable energy generation or low carbon innovation grants

You can apply for grants of up to 40% of the total cost of a project (excluding VAT) to a maximum contribution of £50,000 for renewable energy or £30,000* for innovation.

The examples of Renewable Energy Generation projects you could receive a grant for (No longer available):

• solar PV
• geothermal heat systems
• biomass boilers
• air, ground or water source heat pumps
• geothermal heat collectors or solar collectors
• heat networks
• renewable energy distribution technologies
• renewable energy storage

The examples of Low Carbon Innovation projects you could receive a grant for (Still available):

• low carbon product, process or service development
• commercialisation or implementation costs
• market research and assessment
• IPR protection
• prototyping, demonstration or testing of new products
• manufacturing scale up or market rollout

NB: This is not an exclusive list.

*Max £50,000 in Shropshire

To qualify, your business must

• be situated in and trading from Worcestershire
• employ fewer than 250 employees
• have a turnover of less than the equivalent of 50 million Euros per annum or a balance sheet of less than 43 million Euros.

Please note that some industries such as primary agriculture and finance are not eligible. Other activities excluded are social welfare and education and some retail.

Full European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) eligibility criteria applies. We will conduct a full business eligibility assessment when you apply to the programme.

How to Apply

To apply for an assessment and grant through the Low Carbon Opportunities Programme, email sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk or call Business Central on 01905 677888.

Or you can download the LOCOP grant application form.

Stage 1

First, the business must apply to receive an assist, specifying if you want help to identify renewable energy systems or if you want assistance with a low carbon technology you are developing. Once we have received your application form to receive an assist, we will ensure that your business is eligible for support through this programme. If you are eligible, then we will let you know and ask one of our specialist advisors to call you.

You will then receive a FREE assessment offering two days support where a specialist advisor will visit your business and provide you with expert advice and recommendations of next steps.

Stage 2

Following the Renewable Energy Generation or Low Carbon Innovation Assist, we will send you a report containing the recommended actions.

You can then apply for a grant. The grant intervention rate is 40% and your business contribution is 60% for the project. For example, if your project costs are £50,000, your contribution is £30,000 and we provide £20,000.  The maximum grant is £50,000 for renewable energy or £30,000* for innovation.

All grant applications are subject to evaluation against the programme criteria by a grant appraisal panel.

Stage 3

If your grant application is successful, we will require you to sign an agreement detailing the grant conditions. Once signed and returned, you can carry out the approved activities.

You can then apply to claim the agreed grant amount.

Stage 4

We will monitor your project to ensure that it is on track.

*Max £50,000 in Shropshire

The project is receiving up to £1,624,328 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structure and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. For more information visit the European Growth Funding website.

The Low Carbon Opportunities Programme is a partnership between:

• Worcestershire County Council
• Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce
• Bromsgrove District Council
• Malvern Hills District Council
• Redditch Borough Council
• Worcester City Council
• Wychavon District Council
• Wyre Forest District Council.

For more information please use the contact details below:

Email sustainability@worcestershire.gov.uk

Telephone: Business Central on 01905 677888.