Deadline: 12-Nov-25
The Net Zero Hub on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Great British Energy is seeking applications to help local communities across the UK transition to sustainable energy solutions and empower communities to take control of their energy needs, reduce carbon footprints, and create a greener, more sustainable future for all.
Aims
- The government wants every community in the UK to have access to clean, renewable energy.
- By providing financial support for project development it is aiming to foster innovation, drive local energy projects, and promote energy independence.
- This fund aims to:
- Support communities – by helping them to maximise the income generating potential of renewable energy and put this to work locally;
- Make progress against the Government’s target to increase renewable energy generation, and promote community-owned renewable schemes; and
- Promote growth and job creation – to enable communities to access the economic benefits associated with renewable energy schemes.
Funding Information
- Stage 1 – Feasibility Grant
- For those communities at an early stage of exploring the possibility of a renewable energy Project, and which meet the Fund’s eligibility criteria, this stage offers grants of up to a maximum of £40,000 to cover consultancy and professional costs for the development of a feasibility study.
- Stage 2 – Development Grant
- For Projects which demonstrate a good chance of securing planning permission and being implemented, the NEY Net Zero Hub will consider further development funding of up to £100,000 to enable more detailed investigation into the key areas of technology selection including:
- Investigating possible purchase of land (legal fees for example),
- Environmental impact assessments,
- Submitting planning applications and permitting applications
- Developing a full investment business plan.
- For Projects which demonstrate a good chance of securing planning permission and being implemented, the NEY Net Zero Hub will consider further development funding of up to £100,000 to enable more detailed investigation into the key areas of technology selection including:
Project Eligibility
- Type A projects
- The following technologies are eligible for funding:
- Anaerobic digestion
- Biogas heat network
- Bio liquids/gas/fuels
- Biomass heat network
- Electric vehicle infrastructure (publicly available, incorporating generation/storage)
- Heat pumps
- Heat pump-fed heat networks (e.g., heat zoning for a village)
- Hydropower
- Solar (photo voltaic)
- Solar (thermal)
- Wind power
- Battery storage
- The following technologies are eligible for funding:
- Type B projects
- The following types of energy efficiency or advice projects are eligible for funding:
- Advice targeting fuel poor households
- Advice available to all households, or targeting households that are not fuel poor
- Bulk-buy scheme for energy efficiency measures (multiple households)
- Bulk-buy scheme for renewable and low carbon energy (multiple households)
- Other energy efficiency retrofit programme (multiple households)
- Other renewable energy retrofit programme (multiple households)
- The following types of energy efficiency or advice projects are eligible for funding:
Eligibility Criteria
- The following organisations are eligible:
- Charitable Incorporated Organisation
- Community Benefit Society
- Community Interest Company
- Co-operative Society
- Development Trust
- Pre-Commencement Society
- Registered Charity (including eligible faith groups, sports clubs,)
- Registered Social Landlord
- Registered Society
- Town or Parish Council
For more information, visit Net Zero Hub.