A £1 billion Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has been launched by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
It is to provide grant funding for heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures across the public sector, central government departments and non-departmental public bodies.
This funding is to be for non-domestic buildings in England, with an aim of supporting the delivery of green investment initiatives. It is hoped that this will then deliver “significant” carbon and financial savings in the public sector and stimulate the economy.
The scheme forms part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ commitment to supporting people to find work to help the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19, unveiled in July.
It has been designed to support skilled jobs in the low carbon and energy efficiency sectors and will be delivered by Salix Finance.
Annie Shepperd OBE, chief executive at Salix Finance, said that the scheme “paves the way for workers in the energy efficiency sector to see their jobs secured, and, for the country to know that public sector organisations will be leading the way in reducing the carbon footprint of the UK”.
The government has already committed to “building back greener”, with BEIS specifically hosting a roundtable on a green recovery.
Funding for energy efficiency and heat pumps have also been announced in recent months with the introduction of the Green Homes Grant, which went live yesterday (30 September).
Eligible bodies of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme are now also able to apply for the funding.
