Rural communities in England are to get access to a £15million Government fund to help them generate their own green power.
The Rural Community Energy Fund is aimed at helping communities carry out the feasability studies needed to start their own renewable projects and apply for planning permission.
“This investment will help kick start hundreds of clean green energy projects in rural areas across England. This new fund will give aspiring communities access to the cash they need to make this happen,” said energy minister Greg Barker.
“Not only can local generation bring people together, boost local economies and drive forward green growth, it can help save money on energy bills too.
“We have already seen more than two hundred great community energy projects begin to blossom thanks to our Local Energy Assessment Fund, and I would encourage as many rural communities as possible to grasp this new opportunity with both hands.”
The funding is designed to give communities a foothold in launching their own renewable energy projects, which they can use to attract private finance to establish the new systems.
Grants of up to £20,000 for feasability studies, and a further £130,000 loan for project costs, will be on offer to communities to be repaid once private funding is secured. It will be available to rural projects looking to access renewable energy generation systems, including wind, solar, biomass and hydro.
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