Energy Links

Energy saving is important to us all – saving energy saves money and reduces our carbon footprint. Individuals and community groups can, and perhaps should, make every effort to reduce their energy use. This page is therefore devoted to links to local and national information and organisations –about grants, community groups, and advice – which can help reduce energy consumption, or obtain energy from non-fossil fuels.

We have included some organisations which make loans/grants to businesses, because a sustainable community needs vibrant economic activity; and because charities often have trading arms which might mean they are eligible too.

They have been collected together from various sources, including local councils, the Energy Saving Trust, Groundworks, and general surfing.

We’ve made every effort to make sure these links are current, but if you find they don’t work please email The Community Forum.

If you would like to add any useful organisation – especially local ones – contact us.

Grants and Loans – community
Grants and Loans - business and social enterprise
Councils and Partnerships – plans, platforms and practical advice
Local Transition Initiatives Transition Initiatives are local people working to help their own community get ready for the low carbon future
Advice on Energy Saving

Grants and Loans – Community (kindly provided by Groundworks)	Information
ANSWER Suffolk Carbon Reduction Loan Scheme	An interest free loan for organisations, individuals and small businesses from £500 to £5,000 with funding to be spent on work that delivers demonstrable carbon reductions. For more information call 0845 491 8735.
Low Carbon Buildings Programme grants	This programme offers grants of up to 50% of the cost of installation (to the maximum cost of £200,000) of solar energy, biomass, ground and air source heat pumps and wind turbines.
The Brecks (Norfolk and Suffolk) LEADER Programme	Financial assistance available to farmers, growers, rural businesses, social enterprises and community groups in the Brecks area of rural Norfolk and Suffolk.
Community Sustainable Energy programme	This programme, run by the Building Research Establishment and distributed by the Big Lottery Fund will pay up to £50,000 for community-based organisations to install energy saving measures and renewable energy sources. Companies that are not registered charities but have a charitable purpose or community focus can also apply.
Creating the Greenest County Awards	Celebrating the environmental excellence of different organisations across Suffolk. Award winners will be named as ‘Champions’ and will be featured on the website and other promotional material as case studies
Cut Your Carbon	This organisation offers guidance to community projects. They currently do not have any funds themselves but this link to their site lists various funding sources. Some of these are specifically about energy reduction or climate change, others are general funds, many of which like projects which deal with carbon reduction, energy use reduction, and schemes which are connected to climate change
Energy Saving Trust CAfE Energy Saving Trust grants	Energy Saving Trust (EST) run a ‘Community Action for Energy’ or ‘CAfE’ programme which provides support to communities to help them realise their project. On the site there is a whole variety of useful info as well as guidance on finding funding and case studies of other successful community projects.

Grants and Loans Business including Social Enterprise	Information
Carbon Trust Energy Efficiency Loan	The Carbon Trust offer interest free loans to help businesses cut their energy costs. To be eligible for a loan you must have been in business for at least one year.
Carbon Trust Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) Scheme	The Carbon Trust offers tax relief if you invest in energy saving technologies via the ECA scheme.
AquaFund	Financial assistance for UK based private and public sector organisations to help them make water savings and reduce water consumption. Organisations can improve water efficiency by up to a third with a guaranteed 50% cashable saving.
Barclays Commercial Bank Green Cashback Loans	Financial assistance is available in the form of a loan scheme that offers a cash back payment to small businesses that are borrowing to finance environmental projects. Maximum value is £51,000 and maximum employees 249.
Grant for Business Investment	Financial assistance is available to businesses for new investment projects leading to improvement in productivity, skills and employment. Telephone: 01223 713900.
Carbon Trust “£1 million a day”	A new campaign to help businesses of all sizes prioritise actions to kick start immediate energy savings, reduce carbon emissions and make significant direct costs savings.
Capital Grants for Biomass Systems	The Department for Energy and Climate Change offer capital grants up to the value of 40% of the difference between the cost of a biomass and traditional heating system.
BCE Environmental Leadership Awards	These awards aim to provide a unique opportunity for any business to demonstrate clearly that corporate responsibility is an integral part of their organisations, they are innovative and ahead of the competition.

Councils and Partnerships – plans, platforms and practical advice	Information
Suffolk County Council	Suffolk County Council is aiming to be the Greenest County, and has published an Environment Plan 2009 – 2011
Local Partnerships – Waveney Local Strategic Partnership	There are various partnerships which have an energy/environment tinge, like the Suffolk Local Strategic Partnerships, of which Waveney Local Strategic Partnership is a member
The Suffolk Climate Change Partnership	Amongst other things, The Suffolk Climate Change Partnership “wants householders and local businesses to get involved to make their pledges to help reduce their CO2 emissions and to help save energy.”
Waveney District Council	Waveney District Council has an excellent recycling record, and has signed up to the Nottingham Agreement

TRANSITION INITIATIVES	Information Transition Initiatives are local people working to help their own community get ready for the low carbon future: – climate change plus peak oil = culture change.
Sustainable Bungay	Sustainable Bungay was formed at the end of a Climate Change conference organised by Emmanuel Church in 2007. Since then we've screened films, organised a local food conference, a Give and Take Day and a Carfree Day. More recently we've held an Energy Day at the library and prepared a community carbon audit
Transition Norwich

Advice on Energy Saving	Information
For general, impartial information on energy efficiency visit Energy Saving Trust (EST) The Energy Saving Trust has a free phone 0800 512 012	EST website offers vast amounts of material regarding technologies and efficiency measures. The advice centre holds a list of accredited installers of energy efficiency measures and technologies, as well as grants available and offers a free/impartial referral service.
Home Energy Check (HEC)	Where you can save energy in the home

EST Carbon Cutter	The site will provide you with a tailored energy saving action plan to help you reduce carbon
EST Eco-driving test	A fun activity that covers driving is the eco-driving test
EST Travel	For general driving top tips
EnergySavingSecrets.co.uk	This site offers the tips to help you achieve just that
SustainableBuild.co.uk	Looking to build in an eco-friendly way? This site tells you about the land and the construction techniques to do it properly
SustainableStuff.co.uk	This site shows you how to make a green difference in your everyday life
RecyclingExpert.co.uk	Looking to cut down on your family waste? You'll be amazed at how much you can recycle. This site shows you how
EcoFriendlyKids.co.uk	Packed with tips for you and your children. This site shows you how everyone can play a part in helping to protect the environment
EcoTravelling.co.uk	Everywhere we travel we leave a carbon footprint. Advice on this site will help you ensure it's as small and ethical as possible
GreenSavingExpert.com	Save money, save energy and help save the planet with a host of tips to help the environment and reduce your carbon footprint
EST Generate your own energy	Renewables for home and small business
Feed-tariffs	The Feed-in Tariff (FiT) is the rate that your electricity supplier must pay you for generating electricity from a renewable source. In the UK this rate is paid regardless of whether you use the electricity yourself or export it to the national grid but there will be a bonus for every unit of power exported to the grid. Feed-in Tariffs have had an enormous impact in other European countries such as Germany and France where they now have significant deployment of small scale renewables: they are set to do the same in the UK