National Business Support & Funding
Energy
Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
Description: A Government backed initiative that requires some (SEG licenced) electricity suppliers to pay small-scale generators (SEG generators) for low-carbon electricity exported to back to the National Grid. Your energy supplier may be obliged to offer a tariff and make payments to you as you export energy to the National Grid.
Eligibility: Businesses that have installed a renewable electricity generating technology under 5MW (such as Solar PV, wind, anaerobic digestion) and up to 50kW for micro CHP and grid exporting potential.
More Information: Smart export Guarantee
Green Gas Support Scheme.
Description: New anaerobic digestion biomethane plants receive financial incentives to increase the proportion of green gas in the gas grid. Registered participants receive quarterly payments based on the amount of biomethane inputted to the gas grid
Timeline: Closes November 2025.
Eligibility: Must be a plant producing biomethane via anaerobic digestion, which is injected into the grid.
More information: See more information on the Green Gas Scheme and apply.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
Description: Provides capital grant to support building decarbonisation. Grants are available for the installation of heat pumps and depending on circumstance, biomass boilers.
Timeline: Ends April 2025.
Eligibility: The grant is available for some nondomestic buildings and homes in England and Wales
More information: Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Business rates relief on Renewable Energy Technology.
Description: Targeted business rates exemptions for onsite renewable energy generation and storage.
Eligibility: Business in England, investing in eligible green plant and machinery. This includes technologies such as solar panels, battery technology and heat pumps.
More information: Green taxes and reliefs
Green heat network fund.
Description: 3 year, £288 million capital grant fund supporting commercialisation and construction of new low and zero carbon heat networks and the retrofitting and expansion of existing heat networks.
Timeline: The GHNF main scheme Round 4 is open to applications until 24 February 2023. There will be a series of quarterly application rounds until the scheme closes in 2025.
Eligibility: GHNF is open to organisations in the public or private sectors in England.
More information: Green heat network fund
Transport
Tax and Capital Allowance.
Description: Businesses can benefit from tax and enhanced capital allowances from purchasing cars of certain emissions standards.
Eligibility: Any business that has bought or uses a car.
More information: Vehicle tax rate tables. Capital allowances on cars and the associated emission standards.
Plug-in grants.
Description: You may be eligible for a discount on the price of brand new lowemission vehicles through a grant to dealerships.
Timeline: Van and truck grants extended to April 2024. Car grants have ended.
Eligibility: To qualify, you need to purchase an approved low-emission vehicle.
More information: Plug-in grants
Workplace Charging Scheme.
Description: Support on the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of charging points through vouchers. Maximum grant of £350 per socket and total value of up to £14,000.
Eligibility: Must be registered with Companies House or have a VAT registration. Workplaces must be able to provide private parking for staff or fleet use only. From early 2022, the scheme will open up funding to other businesses, including SMEs, small accommodation businesses, owners of commercial let premises at more.
More information: Workplace Charging Scheme guidance.
The Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.
Description: Grant funding to cover the additional operating costs incurred by companies, if they choose to transport freight by rail and water.
Timeline: Runs until 31 March 2025.
Eligibility: The business must distribute freight.
More information: The Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.
The Energy Savings Trust.
Description: Fleet advice for public and private sector businesses. Fleet support could save your fleet up to £300,000 and 250 tonnes of carbon annually. Access a Green Fleet Review, which provides advice on vehicle choice, fuel economy, fleet management and staff engagement. This review can extend to air quality, low-emission vehicles and HGV fleets (grey fleet).
Timeline: Runs until 31 March 2025.
Eligibility: Energy Savings Trust advises to contact fleetadvice@est.org.uk.
More information: The Energy Savings Trust scheme. Energy savings trust website.
Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
Description: Support through a range of grants, loans and investments to encourage the move towards a more circular economy. This includes support on the use of recycled materials, growing recycling capacity, waste and resources efficiency etc.
Eligibility: Varies by scheme.
More information: WRAP grants and investments. WRAP services.
Other Funding Opportunities & Support
Innovate UK Business Growth
Description: A range of innovation funding (not limited to low-carbon) is available through the Innovate UK Business Growth website. Their innovation and growth programmes aim to drive innovation, source funding and finance and open up new markets for businesses.
Eligibility: Innovation driven SMEs in the UK. Specific eligibility is dependent on individual funding schemes.
More information: Innovate UK Business Growth
UK Research and Innovation Funding Finder.
Description: A range of funding is available on innovation and research supporting environmental sustainability. This site collates available funding from a range of different funders. Funding is updated frequently.
Eligibility: Businesses from all sectors are eligible for consideration, except for: charities, those of a political or religious persuasion and business activity that is illegal.
More information: Opportunities – UKRI
Regional Business Support & Funding
Energy
Staffordshire Business and Environment Network (SBEN).
Description: Range of support on offer including:
• The low carbon business evolution programme which enables businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and increase energy efficiency.
• Environmental sustainability growth mapper which is a free diagnostic tool.
• Smart energy monitor funding.
Eligibility: Varies.
Link: Funded support.
Climate Innovation Platform (CIP).
Description: This scheme aims to drive energy technology innovation through offering a package of support to encourage innovative energy products and service commercialisation. The scheme aims to support 100 SMEs over a four-year programme.
Eligibility: SMEs with innovative energy products and services.
More information: Climate Innovation Platform (CIP).
Energy and Bioproduct Research Institute (EBRI).
Description: EBRI supports businesses on the circular economy, energy, innovation and by providing free sustainability health checks. The scheme has supported over 300 SMEs so far.
Eligibility: SMEs. Check individual schemes.
More information: Energy and Bioproduct Research Institute (EBRI).
West Midlands Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS).
Description: The Pilot Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) programme has six Primary Delivery Partners (PDP). Warwickshire County Council, Worcester County Council and Staffordshire County Council will deliver a mix of standard and energy-intensive assessments and grants on behalf of the programme in their specific geographic areas.
Eligibility: Small businesses across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton, as well as Worcestershire and the Marches, Warwickshire and Stoke and Staffordshire.
More information: Offers 4000 free energy assessments to small businesses across the West Midlands. Following the assessment, businesses have the opportunity to apply for grants up to £100,000. West Midlands Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS).
Transport
Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Support.
Description: Birmingham City Council created brumbreathes, a website which details updated guidance, support and information on the CAZ. ability growth mapper which is a free diagnostic tool.
Eligibility: Varies.
More information: Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Support.
Other Funding Opportunities & Support
Sustainability West Midlands
Description: Sustainability West Midlands provide frequent updates on various funding opportunities on environmental sustainability practice.
Eligibility: Varies by scheme.
More information: Various National and Regional Funding Opportunities.
Birmingham and Solihull Industrial Symbiosis Project (BASIS).
Description: Free consulting on business waste to be used by other businesses as a resource to generate revenue. This includes maximising waste and resources efficiency.
Eligibility: SMEs in the Greater Birmingham and Solihull area.
More information: Birmingham and Solihull Industrial Symbiosis Project (BASIS).
CEBAS Resource Efficiency Project
Description: The project aims to deliver cost and carbon savings to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Birmingham and Solihull by improving their resource efficiency, supporting both Birmingham City and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Councils to reach their own Net Zero goals. International Synergies help identify by-products, wastes and other under-utilised resources that can be used by another organisation, either in the same condition or after reprocessing.
Eligibility: SMEs must be located within Birmingham and Solihull and employ fewer than 250 full-time equivalent personnel. SMEs must also have either an annual turnover of under £43.5 million or an annual balance sheet total of under £37 million.
More Information: CEBAS Resource Efficiency Project | International Synergies (international-synergies.com)