DECC has a number of funding opportunities available for businesses, consumers and householders.
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)
Funding will be available from June 2011 to encourage the up-take of renewable heat. The scheme applies to UK industry, business, public sector organisations and householders.
Feed-in-Tariffs (FITs)
Under the FITs energy suppliers make regular payments to householders and communities who generate their own electricity from renewable or low carbon sources. Feed-in tariffs are designed so that the average monthly income from your installation will be significantly greater than your monthly loan repayment (with a 25 year loan). The scheme itself is administered by Licensed Electricity Suppliers and Ofgem. The Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust have been nominated by the Government to provide public information on the scheme and advice on how to apply.
Local Energy Assessment Fund
The new £10 million Local Energy Assessment Fund, managed by a number of community networks and administered by the Energy Saving Trust, will be run as a competition, with the chance for around 200 community organisations to get to grips with energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. Organisations including parish councils, voluntary associations, development trusts and faith groups are all eligible to apply.
There is around £50,000 available for each successful community to be used to help assess the potential for energy efficiency and local renewable energy generation and get things started in local communities. This is a short term scheme where work will need to be completed by end of March 2012.
Interested communities can apply via the Energy Saving Trust from 9am Wednesday 7 December and money will be allocated in two rounds. The first round closes at noon on 22 December 2011 with successful applicants notified in the week beginning 9 January 2012. The second round will close to applications at noon on 20 January 2012 with successful communities notified at the end January.
Renewables Obligation (RO)
The Renewables Obligation is the current main mechanism for supporting large-scale generation of renewable electricity. It works by placing an obligation on licensed electricity suppliers to source a specified and annually increasing proportion of their electricity sales from renewable sources – or pay a penalty.
Funding and Support for Innovation
Our Innovation Funding and Support pages give details of what is available to business both directly and indirectly to help innovate our way to 2050 targets.
Green Deal
The Green Deal (due to launch in April 2012) will enable many households and businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. The Green Deal will introduce a new finance mechanism enabling the cost of energy efficiency measures installed to be paid back via the energy bill.
Community Energy Saving Programme
The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) requires gas and electricity suppliers and electricity generators to deliver energy saving measures to domestic consumers in specific low income areas of Great Britain. CESP has been designed to promote a 'whole house' approach and to treat as many properties as possible in defined areas. The programme is delivered through the development of community-based partnerships between Local Authorities (LAs), community groups and energy companies, via a house-by-house, street-by-street approach.
Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT)
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target is about reducing CO2 emissions, one of the main causes of climate change. The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) requires domestic energy suppliers to make savings in the amount of CO2 emitted by householders, by promoting the uptake of low carbon energy solutions to household energy consumers. This might included loft and wall insulation, plus increasing the amount of energy generated from renewable technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels and ground source heat pumps.
Warm Front
The scheme offers a package of heating and insulation measures of up to £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil central heating or alternative technologies are recommended). The scheme is targeted at people on income-related benefits and living in properties that are poorly insulated and/or do not have a working central heating system. To be eligible you must own your home or rent it from a private landlord.
Offshore Wind Manufacturing funding
Offshore wind manufacturers are able to apply for support for major investments under the Grants for Business Investment (GBI) scheme in assisted areas of England. This can include joint applications by manufacturers together with ports/landowners where there this forms a single project. However the funding is not available for port-only applications that do not include, or are not linked to, an offshore wind manufacturer
Coal Health Claims
DECC administers two major personal injury compensation schemes which compensate coalminers and their families for health problems caused by working in mines operated by British Coal. The schemes were set up to deal with respiratory disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema) caused by working underground in dusty conditions and vibration disease (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome and Vibration White Finger) caused by using vibrating tools. The schemes are now closed to new claimants.
Find out about other available sources of funding and support.