Funding will create Low Carbon Technology Centre in Hereford

Three ambitious projects have won nearly £3.5million funding from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership to boost the region’s energy security and meet Net Zero targets.

The three schemes were selected from 29 different projects which applied for cash from the LEP’s innovative Marches Energy Fund.

Marches LEP chair Mandy Thorn MBE said the successful schemes would make a vital contribution to the region’s energy strategy and play a major role in safeguarding supplies and building clean, green energy for the future.

The three successful schemes are:-

• The Marches Energy Grant: A new funding pot of £1.575m to help companies use energy more efficiently, driving down waste and cutting carbon emissions. The scheme will be open to businesses across Shropshire, Herefordshire and Telford & Wrekin and build on the success of the Business Energy Efficiency programme (BEEP).
• Marches Network Monitoring to support Community Decarbonisation: A project delivered by the National Grid and EA Technology to install monitors at 250 substations across the Marches which help make the most efficient use of the energy available and so boost capacity. The project is receiving £654,000.
• Herefordshire Low Carbon Technology Centre: The scheme, to be delivered by Herefordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire College, will develop industry-leading new training in green skills and has been awarded £1.2million.

The Herefordshire Low Carbon Technology Centre will be housed at the college’s Holme Lacy Campus on the edge of Hereford, and offer industry-accredited training to the construction industry, developing the skills required to install low-carbon technologies.

The centre will also train the college’s electrical, plumbing and construction students and apprentices.