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Clean and green growth

Join the fight against climate change

West of England Green Business Grants support SMEs to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings and business operations. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can save businesses money on energy bills.

Applications are currently closed. However, we are offering free Carbon Surveys which result in a Decarbonisation Report to help your business save money, reduce emissions and make use of the latest green technology.

Get a Carbon Survey

Hand altering energy levels in a building.

What is a Green Business Grant used for?

In our first round of grants, we helped local businesses install:

  • LED lighting and better lighting controls
  • solar film to reduce overheating and air con use in summer
  • more efficient heating and better controls
  • insulation to walls and roofs
  • air compressors and variable speed drives to improve the efficiency of manufacturing and processing equipment.

There is a total grant pot of £1.7m. The West of England Combined Authority has already allocated £500,000 to over 50 SMEs, with an average grant award of £8,000. This will help each business reduce their annual average greenhouse gas emissions by 10 tonnes of greenhouse and their annual energy bills by £2,585.

A cooling unit outside a business premise.

Applications are currently closed

Applications for these grants are now closed. When the window opens again in late 2021, you will be able to apply for up to £15,000 per business to pay for 50-80% of the eligible capital costs.

We are offering free Carbon Surveys to help your business save money, reduce emissions and make use of the latest green technology.

Get a free Carbon Survey

What you need to know

Grants up to £15,000 will be made available to small & medium sized enterprises in the West of England to pay for 50-80% of eligible capital costs, depending on your business’ size, location and project.

We'll provide you with a free carbon survey and report as part of the Green Business Grant process. This impartial carbon report will help you not only apply for a Green Business Grant, but also help you incorporate sustainability measures in future business plans.

Green Business Grants can be used for capital works and purchases to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and business operations. Potential projects include LED lighting, air source heat pumps, solar thermal, wall and roof insulation, variable speed drives, air compressors, induction cooking and solar PV. A grant could help you:

  • avoid harmful emissions that contribute to climate change
  • reduce your energy bills and lower maintenance costs
  • make your buildings healthier for your employees
  • improve your green credentials with customers and contractors
  • access cutting edge low carbon technologies
  • actively support the local supply chain for energy efficiency goods and services.

To apply for a grant you must be:

  • a small & medium sized enterprise – with fewer than 250 employees AND a turnover of equal to or less than €50m OR a balance sheet of equal to or less than €43m (including any partnership your organisation is a part of or any linked enterprises)
  • based in the West of England region – located in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire local authority area. Check your postcode
  • VAT registered
  • content to be credit checked by a third-party credit reference agency.
  • sole traders and partnerships
  • businesses using cash-based accounting
  • businesses that are VAT exempt
  • charities (unless applying through a trading arm)
  • community groups, sports clubs, village halls and similar entities
  • GPs, dentists, opticians, schools, colleges and similar
  • private landlord businesses, home-based businesses, guest houses, care homes and similar
  • businesses in the fishery, aquaculture, banking and insurance sectors
  • businesses in financial difficulty, such as collective insolvency.
European Regional Development Fund

Our funding

Green Business Grants are funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the West of England Combined Authority's Recovery Fund.

The project has received £1.4m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £300k from the Recovery Fund as grant. ERDF is part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.

ERDF logo

Find out more