Insights

Case studies, fact sheets and interviews offering hints, tips, and inspiration to help your business grow. 

From 7 May 2024, the North East Growth Hub is a project of the North East Combined Authority. We may still refer to "the North East Local Enterprise Partnership" (or "the North East LEP") in some of our older articles. 

7 funding opportunities for low-carbon projects

We’ve brought together a list of 7 funding opportunities – including grants, match funding and competitions – which could help your business put in place low carbon projects.

1. Newcastle and Gateshead Vehicle Upgrade grants

Owners of older, more polluting taxis, vans, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles could be eligible for funding to help replace or upgrade vehicles that don’t meet the Clean Air Zones emission requirements.

Find out more.

2. Business Energy Saving Team (BEST) grants

SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and Gatehsead can access free advice, energy efficiency audits and grant support from BEST.

Find out more.

3. Office for Zero Emission Vehicles – Workplace Charging Scheme

Grants are available to support businesses, charities and public sector organisations towards the cost of electric vehicle charge points.

Up to 75% of the cost of purchase and installation of charge points is available, capped at a maximum of:

  • £350 per socket
  • 40 sockets across all sites per applicant

Find out more.

4. EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets

Small-to-medium-sized businesses can get grants to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure in their commercial car parks.

The grant covers up to 75% of the cost of installing the infrastructure needed for charge points to operate and for future charge points to be installed, as well as the cost of any charge points installed. There is a limit of £15,000 per grant and it is capped at:

  • £350 per charge point socket installed
  • £500 per parking space enabled with supporting infrastructure

Find out more.

5. Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you could get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler.

You can get one grant per property. Current grants are available for:

  • £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
  • £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
  • £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
  • You cannot get a grant for a hybrid heat pump system (for example a combination of gas boiler and air source heat pump).

Find out more

6. The Green New Deal Fund

The Green New Deal Fund (GNDF) is an investment fund established to provide finance to SMEs and the public sector to reduce carbon emissions, create green jobs and develop skills in the region.

Find out more

7. Low Emission Vehicle Plug-In Grants

Some types of low-emission vehicles are eligible for a grant from the government, so that you can buy them more cheaply.

You do not apply for the grant. The seller includes it as a discount in the purchase price.

Only vehicles that have been approved by the government are eligible.

The discount you can get depends on the type of vehicle.

The types of eligible vehicles are:

Find out more.

Need impartial advice on implementing net zero measures in your business? Our team of Growth Hub Connectors are here to help. Book an appointment here.

You can also find more net zero resources in our free, online toolkit here.