120 organisations from Coventry & Warwickshire made their way to the Transport Museum on 26 February to learn about accessing new funding opportunities for their businesses. Following the success of three European Regional Development Funded (ERDF) programmes which ran from 2016 – 2018, where a total of £4.6m was provided in grants to local businesses. Coventry City Council, alongside its delivery partners launched their new ERDF grant funded programmes at the event in the areas of Business Support, Green Business and Innovation. 

Cllr O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs & Regeneration opened the event and Andy Williams, Head of Economic Development at Coventry City Council outlined all the funding opportunities that are available to local SMEs around business support and capital investment grants to enable growth going forward. Delegates were able to learn first-hand from Mobilerecon, Alchemie Ltd and R53, three local organisations who had already received grant support.

To find out more about the event and funding opportunities read the full article.

To register your interest in the new Green Business Programme and to apply for a free energy/resource efficiency audit please email the team at greenbusiness@coventry.gov.uk

Harris RCS have been providing CNC machined parts for the aviation and commercial industries for well over 40 years from their site on Bayton Road Industrial Estate in Exhall, Nr. Coventry.  

Thanks to a £8,500 grant provided by the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme, the family-owned business managed by Graham Harris and Deborah Walters has invested £28k in a series of measures to improve energy efficiency at their premises. 

The measures have included cutting edge sensor controlled LED lighting throughout, the construction of an insulated internal wall to minimise heat loss and the replacement of a roller shutter door. The effects of Harris RCS investment have seen their electricity and gas consumption drop by 60% and it is also helping to reduce 31 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Read the full article.

Visit our website to find out how the Programme can help your business with funding and energy & resource savings in 2019.

To help local businesses understand everything from funding amounts through to eligibility criteria, we have produced some essential frequently asked questions  about the Green Business Programme. Download your copy now.

Environmental legislation update

Sustainability West Midlands in partnership with Groundwork West Midlands EBS has launched its latest environmental legislation update. In this issue you can find out more about, climate change warnings, funding opportunities and UK renewable energy mix. Read more.

Coventry to get new fully electric buses for greener, cleaner journeys

10 fully electric buses will be introduced to Coventry’s bus fleet after National Express and Coventry City Council won £2.2 million of Government funding to invest in greener, cleaner buses for the city. The brand new ultra-low emission buses will operate on major arterial routes through the city that experience high levels of congestion and have been identified as air pollution hotspots. Read more.

UK to scrap Feed-in Tariff scheme in April 2019

The current feed-in tariff (FiT) subsidy is set to end (for new solar registrations) after 31 March 2019.

Although the feed-in tariff scheme will close at the end of March 2019, businesses that already have FiT registrations will still continue to receive subsidy for the remainder of their agreement term, as will new registrations before the above date. This date has been set for both the export and generation tariff.

However, all is not lost as the Green Business Programme can provide grants of 40% to fund solar installations. Read more.