Business Energy Advice Service awards more than £300,000

WBEAS was launched earlier this year as a part of the £4.6 million Business Growth Warwickshire Programme, developed and commissioned jointly by Warwickshire County Council and the five district and borough councils in the county.

The priority of sustainable growth is integral to Warwickshire County Council’s Economic Growth Strategy. The council aims to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and help the county do the same by 2050.

WBEAS supports businesses to:

• Lower energy costs and reduce exposure to future energy price volatility.
• Increase productivity through lower input costs, resulting in cost savings.
• Increase environmental credentials, enabling beneficiaries to access new supply chains.
• Improve access to new markets.
• Expedite peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.
• Reduce costs and deliver a bottom-line impact for businesses.

The WBEAS grant pot is £1million, based on a first come first served basis, and £301,000 has already been awarded in grants to a diverse range of businesses across Warwickshire. Businesses of all sizes and sectors and all parts of the county are welcome to apply.

With much of the grant pot still to be allocated, and the scheme currently only open to applications until the end of the year, more applications are welcome. For more information and how to apply please visit Warwickshire Business Energy Advice Service - Business grants, loans and finance - Warwickshire County Council.

Businesses so far supported by WBEAS funding and advice are:

• Harry Burrows (Exhall): to upgrade laser cutting machine
• Universal Fabrications (Nuneaton): for an electrical upgrade including LED lighting and destratification fans
• Wyken Tools (Nuneaton): towards purchase of an energy efficient CNC lathe
• Rugby Care Centre t/a Serene Care (Rugby): to upgrade gas boiler, install LED lighting and replace doors and windows.
• Precision Laser Processing (Rugby): to purchase an electrically operated forklift truck and an air compressor, lowering C02 emissions and running costs.
• Big Parking (Exhall): to upgrade direct electric heating to air source heat pump system for office heating
• Just Nice Clean Cars (Warwick): to update heating to move away from gas boiler, including electric radiators and water heater
• Jewel Holdings (Nuneaton): for Installation of wall mounted air conditioning unit in studio area for cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.

Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy, Cllr Martin Watson said: "I am delighted that so many companies across the county have engaged with and benefited from WBEAS. Warwickshire County Council is passionately committed to creating a sustainable future for our businesses and communities and I would encourage businesses in all parts of the county to have a look to see how the programme could benefit them.

“WBEAS is a great example of collaboration between local authorities across Warwickshire and Coventry, supporting businesses to be as well-equipped as possible for the future.”

Businesses require a free energy audit in order to qualify for the grant and 52 businesses in all areas of the county have already take advantage of that opportunity to find out exactly how they can reduce emissions and costs.

Coventry City Council is contracted to mobilise and deliver WBEAS which is designed to support the creation of a green, growing and sustainable economy across Warwickshire through promoting energy efficiency. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is also funding an expansion to the service as part of a West Midlands Combined Authority pilot including a grant scheme which is managed by the county council.

A number of podcasts and webinars are also available to help companies on their sustainability journey. These include details of the free access to the Zellar online sustainability platform.  The YouTube link is  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RJCW8cEwcs

The full list of podcasts can be found via the Coventry City Council website.