Government awards funding worth £3m to power-up range of green energy projects
Clean energy schemes ranging from small community projects to an NHS trust running some of the South West’s largest hospital buildings, have been given £3m boost.
The funding is among the first pledged by the new government-owned Great British Energy, which is investing in renewable energy across the UK.
Around £1m is to go to the South West Net Zero Hub, which provides free strategic and technical support to the public sector and communities to develop, finance and deliver net zero energy projects.
This is in addition to an existing £1.3m funding for the hub, launched by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), and will enable it to continue to help local clean energy projects get up and running.
WECA, along with other mayoral combined authorities across England, will also get access to a further £700,000 for community energy projects.
In addition, The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust will receive £295,000 through Great British Energy Solar for solar panels.
These will be installed on hospital rooftops or ground-mounted on trust-owned sites and should save up to £700,000 on its energy bills while generating 143,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy a year.
The funding from Great British Energy follows £40m from the government for a warm homes, social housing initiative, which will help around 2,000 families across the West of England cut bills and reduce emissions.
West of England Mayor Dan Norris, who leads WECA, said communities in the region had already built the country’s largest on-shore wind turbine – powering a local charity and thousands of homes – while a local project is also exploring getting clean thermal power from the region’s disused mines.
“Great British Energy will further turbo-charge renewable power in our region, attract even more investment in green technology, create decent-paying jobs, and drive economic growth,” he added.
“We can save money on people’s energy bills, help the planet and power our own future. Mayors working closely with the government are crucial to delivering real change, and this latest investment is another step on the journey of national renewal.”
Health minister and Bristol South MP Karin Smyth added: “This investment in clean energy will power our NHS while saving the taxpayer millions in energy bills.
“Crucially, we will divert the savings to where it matters most for patients and staff – frontline services.”
