Financing Local Net Zero

Funding

This webpage signposts some significant funding sources for net zero projects, for which local authorities, community groups and also businesses in England may be eligible. This is intended to provide a general summary of the latest published information, however it is not absolutely comprehensive and you are advised to confirm all details with the fund managers concerned.

If you are a public sector organisation that require further advice, or if you know of any additional funding sources that we can share, please contact us at info@gsenetzerohub.org.uk. You should also look at the Attracting Investment and Business Model and Guides pages of this website for a fuller understanding of the range of financing opportunities available.

Community Energy

Community Energy Fund

*Opening for applications soon* The Community Energy Fund is a new £10 million programme to help communities in England to develop clean energy projects to benefit their local areas. It is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and is to be administered by the five Net Zero Hubs in the MidlandsNorth EastNorth West, South East and South West of England. The Community Energy Fund (CEF) follows the success of the former Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) and expands its scope to include urban areas. Funding is available to help support the development of energy projects up to the point of construction.  Projects and applicants will be expected to meet the Fund’s eligibility criteria. If you would like to be contacted when the fund opens for applications, please get in touch CEF@gsenetzerohub.org.uk

Further details about the Community Energy Fund

London Borough of Lewisham's Community Energy Fund

If you are part of a local community group and would like to cut your energy bills, or help others to, you can apply for funding through the Lewisham Community Energy Fund. The Fund is intended to provide new capacity for local community and voluntary groups to bring people together for a common purpose in relation to energy, carbon reduction and fuel poverty. The Fund is part of the Council’s wider work to support its ambition for the borough to be net zero carbon by 2030. For further information including eligibility criteria, please visit the Fund’s webpage. Application deadline: 18 December 2023.

Apply to the London Borough of Lewisham Community Energy Fund

Community Energy England

Community Energy England is a not-for-profit organisation that represents and supports the community energy sector. A comprehensive list of community energy funding and finance opportunities can be found on the Community Energy England website.

Find sources of funding for community energy projects via the Community Energy England website

Centre for Sustainable Energy

The Centre for Sustainable Energy is an independent national charity that shares its knowledge and experience to help people change the way they think and act on energy.  A significant part of the organisation’s work is to support community groups who want to do something about climate change, energy or sustainability. Its website has information and resources dedicated to supporting these groups:

For a guide to the different types of funding you can apply to for your community project or building, click HERE.

For a guide to grants and funding for making your home more energy efficient and cheaper to heat, click HERE.

London Community Energy Fund

Community energy projects bring social, economic and environment benefits to London. The London Community Energy Fund has provided much-needed support to get community energy projects up and running. Four rounds of funding have been offered so far since 2017, which in total have allocated over £1 million to 86 projects.

More information about the London Community Energy Fund


Domestic Retrofit

Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Wave 2.2

The funding, provided by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aims to improve the energy performance of social homes in England and will allocate up to £80 million from April 2024. It will support the installation of energy saving measures and upgrade a significant amount of the social housing stock currently below Energy Performance Certificate band C up to that standard. The Fund is open to local authorities, combined authorities, registered providers of social housing (including housing associations and arms-length management organisations that are registered providers) and registered charities that own social housing. If you are considering applying for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.2 competition, you can get support from the Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator. Guidance for Wave 2.2 will be provided by mid October 2023 and applicants should refer to this once published. The Wave 2.2 competition is expected to open to applications in mid November 2023. For general enquiries about Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.2, email: enquiries-shdf@salixfinance.co.uk.

Find out more about Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund: Wave 2.2


Distributed Generation

Local Energy Accelerator Programme (London)

A London-based £6 million grant-funding programme, supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Greater London Authority to speed up the pace of carbon emission reduction. The programme provides public and private-sector organisations with expertise from a framework of suppliers to provide the technical, commercial & financial, legal and strategic expertise needed to bring clean, locally-generated energy projects into operation.

Find out more about applying to the Local Energy Accelerator Programme


Electric vehicles

On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme

The purpose of the scheme is to increase the availability of on-street chargepoints in residential streets where off-street parking is not available, thereby ensuring that on-street parking is not a barrier to realising the benefits of owning an electric vehicle. The scheme gives local authorities access to grant funding that can be used to part-fund the procurement and installation of on-street electric vehicle chargepoint infrastructure for residential needs. The scheme is funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and administered by Energy Saving Trust, Cenex and PA Consulting.

Access the guidance for the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme for local authorities

Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund

The Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to plan and deliver chargepoint infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. The Fund comprises capital funding to support chargepoint delivery, and capability funding to ensure that local authorities have the staff and capability to plan and deliver chargepoint infrastructure. The Fund is administered by the Energy Saving Trust.

 

Find out more about the Local EVI Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund

Electric Vehicle Workplace Charging Scheme

The Workplace Charging Scheme is a voucher-based scheme that provides support towards the up-front costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle chargepoints. The Scheme is open to businesses, charities and public sector organisations that meet the applicant and site eligibility criteria. Funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and administered by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Access the guidance for the Electric Vehicle Workplace Charging Scheme


Heat Decarbonisation

Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund - Phase 4

The Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund provides grants to boost decarbonisation skills and increase the number of heat decarbonisation projects being delivered across the public sector. The Fund is managed by Salix Finance. Four phases of the Fund have been provided so far, with future funding rounds anticipated.

A list of successful applications to Phase 4 of the Fund can be found here.

If the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero make funding available in future financial years for further phases of the Low Carbon Skills Fund, this news will  be announced through the Salix website.

Further information about Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund Phase 4

Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme - Phase 3c

The next funding window for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, Phase 3c, is expected to open to applications on Tuesday 10 October 2023, 2pm. It is never too early to start thinking about how to prepare your public sector estate for decarbonisation and get ready for the next funding opportunity. The Greater South East Net Zero Hub can help you with free support and advice.

Get in touch with the Greater South East Net Zero Hub team

Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU)

The Heat Networks Delivery Unit provides grant funding and guidance to local authorities for the early stages of heat network development. This includes technical and economic feasibility and detailed project development. Registered social landlords, property developers, universities, and NHS trusts can also apply.

The current funding round 13 is open until midday, 31 December 2023.

Find out more about Heat Networks Delivery Unit funding and guidance

Green Heat Network Fund

The Green Heat Network Fund is a £288m capital grant fund that provides support to organisations in the public and private sectors in England, for the development of new low and zero-carbon heat networks, and the retrofitting and expansion of existing heat networks. Further information and guidance about the scheme is available HERE. The scheme is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and administered by Triple Point Heat Networks.

Make an application to the Green Heat Network Fund

Heat Network Efficiency Scheme

The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES) is a capital and revenue grant fund that supports improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects. The scheme is open to public, private and third sector applicants in England and Wales. It is funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and administered by Gemserv. The scheme is running multiple funding rounds. To receive scheme updates, contact hnes@gemserv.com.

Find out more about the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme


Innovation

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

The government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund provides funding and support to UK businesses and researchers. Its aim is to strengthen UK science and business innovation to take on the biggest challenges that society and industry face today.

Challenges identified by the Fund are aligned with the four Grand Challenges set out in the government’s Industrial Strategy. One of the four is Clean Growth – economic development through the deployment of low carbon technologies and the efficient use of resources. The Fund, which is being delivered by UK Research and Innovation, is part of the government’s £4.7 billion increase in research and development over four years.

Find out more

MCS Charitable Foundation

The foundation funds projects that accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and low carbon technologies with a specific focus on scaling up the delivery of whole house retrofit (fabric and renewable technologies). Projects should have a UK-wide impact, either through having a national reach or through developing/demonstrating an innovative approach that could be replicated, adapted or scaled up.

Find out more


SMEs

South East New Energy Project

Grant funding is being offered to eligible SMEs, based in Essex, Kent, East Sussex, Medway, Thurrock and Southend for eligible energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The programme is by the University of East London and part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Projects must be completed and paid for before end June 2023.

Find out more and apply to the South East New Energy Project


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