Funding to help Leicester-based businesses retrofit buildings

Hundreds of small businesses in Leicester could receive up to £7,000 to retrofit their buildings. 

Leicester City Council has secured a £1.9m grant from the European Region Development Fund (ERDF) to help small businesses improve their energy efficiency.

The grants are available to support measures such as energy-efficient heating, low energy lighting, insulation, solar panels or heat pumps.

To be eligible, applicants must be a small or medium-sized business.

This scheme is part of the council’s Climate Emergency Strategy which was published last month and sets out a clear vision for how the city must change in order to reach net-zero emissions.

Deputy city mayor for environment and transportation Cllr Adam Clarke said: ‘These grants give local small and medium-sized businesses the chance to become more energy-efficient and save money on their running costs.

‘We have ambitious plans to help make Leicester a carbon-neutral and climate-adapted city by 2030.

‘This scheme is a really good way to welcome more local firms on board and show them that becoming more energy efficient is good for business and for the city.’

In related news, Greater collaboration between schools, universities, businesses and government is key to achieving equality, diversity and inclusion in the renewable energy industry, according to a new report led by researchers at the University of Plymouth.

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