A £75,000 fund for groups and organisations in Cumbria has been launched.
Powering our Communities, run by Electricity North West, is available to groups and organisations who want to develop or expand their own energy projects.
Helen Seagrave, Electricity North West’s community energy manager, said: “Applications have grown from strength-to-strength year-on-year and I think that’s because people are starting to put community and local energy at the heart of their communities.
“We know the energy landscape is constantly evolving and changing, the region has ambitious net zero targets to hit and community energy will play a huge part in ensuring those targets are met.”
Last year, in Cumbria, a group was awarded £11,000 to install environmentally-friendly solar-powered lighting while another was award £8,700 to bring together local households and small businesses which will benefit from cleaner and cheaper energy.
Applications can be submitted by any type of organisation including community benefit societies, industrial provident societies, charities, schools or local authorities if they can demonstrate the community involvement or local benefit of their project.
Projects in partnership with organisations such as local authorities and businesses will also be accepted if it is clear what control and benefit the local community has as a result of the project.
Funding up to £15,000 per project is available as Electricity North West want to target projects which investigate or pilot new business models or ways of working, scale up delivery of a community or local energy project or group or projects that address specific barriers that are holding back the development of community or local energy.
Applications for the fund must be submitted by November 5 and successful applicants will be notified in January.
To find out more and apply, visit the https://www.enwl.co.uk/funding.
