Bristol City Leap has launched a dedicated Community Energy Fund to provide financial support for the set up and development of community energy projects in the Bristol area.
Over the next five years the fund will provide 拢1.5m to community initiatives that help towards the decarbonisation of Bristol and secure long-term benefits for local residents.
Projects include renewable energy generation initiatives such as wind power and solar, plus enabling the connection of Bristol Heat Network. Community organisations, including charities, faith groups and schools, can apply for grants and interest free loans of up to 拢100,000 through the Bristol City Leap website.
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The Centre for Sustainable Energy will manage grant applications and Bristol & Bath Regional Capital will facilitate any loans agreed. Bristol Energy Network will also be working with Bristol City Leap to provide support to community organisations in creating funding applications, developing project ideas and developing joint initiatives.
James Sterling, communications and engagement manager for Bristol City Leap commented: "Our Community Energy Fund will help harness the ingenuity and commitment that exemplifies Bristol鈥檚 communities and enable them to thrive while securing a cleaner future for us all. Empowering and supporting local people during our journey to carbon neutrality is at the core of what Bristol City Leap hopes to achieve and we鈥檙e excited to see the first wave of funding applications coming forward from across the city."
The 拢1.5m pot will be funded by both Ameresco and Vattenfall Heat 海角视频 and forms part of Bristol City Leap鈥檚 ambitions to deliver a minimum of 拢61.5m in social value over the first five years of its partnership.
Jenny Curtis, managing director at Vattenfall Heat 海角视频 said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to enable the ideas, ingenuity and innovation that exists in Bristol, adding more weight to the efforts to cut harmful emissions and enhance the city鈥檚 energy infrastructure. We鈥檙e playing our part by expanding the existing heat network across the city, but we know that real success is only possible by working with Bristol based organisations, businesses and local people, enabled by this new dedicated Community Energy Fund.鈥
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