The community sustainable energy programme is a grant programme run by Building Research Establishment (BRE) as an award partner of the Big Lottery Fund, aimed to raise public awareness and support for renewable energy.
The programme will provide £8 million for the installation of microgeneration technologies and energy efficiency measures by not-for-profit community-based organisations in England, and £1 million for project development grants.
Project development grant, is to fund studies investigating the feasibility of installing any microgeneration technology. The maximum grant available is £5000 or 75% of the study cost- whichever is lower.
Capital grants are for the purchase and installation of any microgeneration technology.
Funding will also be available for energy efficiency measures (for example, cavity wall, loft insulation, heating and lighting controls), these need to be installed in combination with the microgeneration technology. Where these are not already in place, you will have to install them in order to qualify for the microgeneration capital grant.
You can apply for up to £50,000 or 50% of the project cost (whichever is lower) for installing microgeneration technologies only or in combination with energy efficiency measures.
For guidance notes and application forms see www.communitysustainable.org.uk
