Community projects in England have been invited to apply for feasibility grants of up to £40,000 for green initiatives, including solar battery storage, wind, hydro and geothermal heat projects. Successful projects supported by the Rural Community Energy Fund will also be considered for further grants of up to £100,000 for business development and planning applications.
Applications for the new scheme will be managed via five regional Local Energy hubs – North East Yorkshire and Humber, North West, Midlands, South East and South West – which will also provide tailored support on local planning matters.
The RCEF supports rural communities in England to develop renewable energy projects, and is jointly funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). It has already supported 152 community renewable energy projects including solar panels on Salisbury Cathedral and Frome Town FC and hydroelectric turbines on the River Dane in Cheshire
Further reading
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