Businesses can now get an interest-free loan to help cut their energy bills and carbon emissions.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council are working together to use £1.4m of government funding to support small and medium-sized businesses.
The councils’ existing Green Solutions programme advises businesses on ways to become more environmentally friendly and reduce their energy consumption.
That scheme gives grants of 50 per cent (between £1,000 and £100,000) of the cost of following the advice given by the experts and introducing the improvements. It also offers a free training course for business owners.
Now the Green Loan scheme can be used to cover the rest of the cost (between £5,000 and £100,000) with businesses being allowed two years to pay it back with no interest.
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of the city council, said: “Small and medium-sized businesses play a vital role in our city’s economy. These entrepreneurs create jobs and attract investment into the area.
“The cost-of-living, inflation and rising energy prices have been a challenge for them and we want to help.
“Officers in the Green Solutions programme give out fantastic advice but some businesses struggled to quicky find the other half of the cost.
“This new funding pot, which we’re launching in partnership with Staffordshire County Council, is going to make a huge difference to so many businesses.
“It will see businesses become more energy-efficient which will lead to lower energy use.”
To find out more about Green Solutions and other schemes, visit www.staffordshire.gov.uk/GreenSolutions and fill in the expression of interest form with your details, including your Companies House reference number.
