Grants

1. The Warm Front Scheme

2. The Heat Project

3. The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)

4. Grants for Domestic Renewable Energy Projects

5. Grants for Community and Charitable Projects

6. Financial Assistance for Commercial Renewable Projects

There are a large number of energy saving grants of different types, which can help you to save energy in your home, or business. Energy saving grants can be placed into two main categories. There are those which go towards saving the energy you currently use with measures such as cavity wall insulation, and there are also grants available towards renewable sources of energy, which will reduce your consumption from the national grid. Examples of this include installing Solar Thermal Water Heating and Wind Turbines.

As a customer, you must apply for grant yourself due to the terms and conditions. However Sol₂o is on hand to guide you step by step through your application to help you reduce both your fuel bills and CO₂ emissions.

There are three main Government initiatives, which allow homeowners and private tenants free or grant assisted energy saving solutions to your home.

The Warm Front Scheme

Provides a package of insulation and/or heating measures up to a maximum value of £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended. Grants are available for the following energy efficiency measures:

• Loft Insulation
• Cavity Wall Insulation
• Draught proofing
• Hot water Tank Insulation
• New gas, electric or oil central heating system.

The Heat Project

Is one of Britain's largest and most established energy efficiency insulation schemes. The scheme Provides all homeowners, residential landlords and private tenants with grant assisted loft and cavity wall insulation.

The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)

Came into effect in April 2008, obliging electricity and gas suppliers in Great Britain to help reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from homes.

CERT will mean that energy suppliers will provide grants and offers to help you pay for energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies for your home. You can take up grants and offers from any energy company, regardless of whether they supply your gas and electricity.

Electricity and gas suppliers are obliged to promote things that:

• Improve energy efficiency, for example, loft and wall insulation
• Increase the amount of energy generated from renewable technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels and ground source heat pumps

Grants for Domestic Renewable Energy Projects

If you are thinking of installing a mircogeneration product, there are a number of energy efficiency measures you must undertake to be eligible to apply for a grant under the low carbon buildings programme. These are as follows:

• Have a minimum of 270mm insulation in the loft.
• If you have cavity wall, it must be insulated.
• Basic controls on your heating system, which include a thermostat and programmer.
• Low energy light bulbs to be fitted to all main light fittings.

The Low Carbon Buildings Programme, which is managed by the Energy Saving Trust, was launched in 2006. Grants are available for smaller projects for home owners and community groups. A grant of up to £400 can be provided for a new solar domestic heating system.

Larger grants are also available for medium or large scale microgeneration projects for public not for profit and commercial organisations. Technologies include:

• Solar Photovoltaic
• Wind Turbines
• Ground / Air Source Heat Pumps
• Solar Thermal hot water
• Renewable CHP

Sol₂o is a currently an approved installer through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme for Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal and Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps. We can supply and install all the materials that are needed to meet these requirements at highly competitive rates.

Grants for Community and Charitable Projects

E.ON, the power and gas company is offering grants of up to £30,000 for UK community projects that reduce CO₂ emissions.

Financial Assistance for Commercial Renewable Projects

If you are a business looking for some financial support in order to initiate energy saving measures, there are some energy saving business grants and other forms of funding which are available.

The Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme (ECA's) allows business' to claim 100% first year capital allowances on their spending on qualifying plant and machinery. There are three schemes for ECA's:

• Energy Saving plant and machinery
• Low carbon dioxide emission cars and natural gas hydrogen refuelling infrastructure
• Water conservation plant and machinery.

Businesses can write off the whole of the capital cost of their investment in these technologies against their taxable profits of the period during which they made the investment. This can deliver helpful cash flow boost and shortened payback period.

There is also through the carbon trust, unsecured interest free energy efficiency loans of up to £100,000 available. More details about the scheme can be found at the Carbon Trust website.