Ofgem’s Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme opened this week for its fifth round of grant-making. Community campaigners & leaders of the UK’s nearly 400 power co-operatives have until 22 August to apply.
Funded from the regulator’s fines on licensed suppliers, the Redress Scheme has a total of £3 million on the table.
Local projects eligible to benefit include those supporting households most at risk from high energy bills, carbon emissions reduction projects ventures in England, Scotland and Wales, or those centring on innovative products and services related to home energy.
Charities and community energy groups – including community benefit societies, community interest companies, and co-operative can access one or more of four funding streams.
The streams are:
- £1.8 million in the Main Fund, benefitting vulnerable households with grants of between £50,000 and £250,000.
- £300,000 in the Small Project Fund, dispensing grants between £20,000 to £50,000 supporting similarly afflicted families.
- The £450,000 Innovation Fund, a seed nursery for product or service innovations doing good for households. Grants are between £20,000 to £200,000.
- Also containing £450,000, the Carbon Emissions Reduction Fund,– aimed at projects empowering homes to reduce their carbon footprint. Sums adanced are as for the Innovation Fund.
To apply, organisations need to be pre-registered by visiting the Energy Redress registration page.
Organisations that haven’t yet registered with the scheme must do so 10 working days before the relevant Fund closes to allow time for eligibility checks to take place.
The deadline for applications is 5pm on 22 August 2023. To apply follow the instructions on the Energy Redress website.
In the five years to March, the Energy Redress Scheme supported 470 projects with £81 million in grants. Projects included:
- Boosting the uptake of whole-house retrofits
- Energy advice services supporting vulnerable people.
- Digital media to engage marginalised audiences with energy problems, including affordability
- Research into the energy needs of elderly people and disabled people
- Trialling new outreach or business models which enable households use more locally generated energy.
The Energy Saving Trust’s head of renewables Anthony Kyriakides said: “This latest round of funding will continue support for the positive and important work undertaken by charities in helping the most vulnerable households”.
“The funding will also support charities delivery of projects focused on achieving a Net Zero future and helping to ensure a just transition for as many people as possible.”
Ofgem collects voluntary payments from companies that may have breached Ofgem-administered rules. Energy Saving Trust manages the allocation of payments for the scheme, which has been in place for five years.
The scheme prioritises support for vulnerable energy consumers, the development of innovative products or services and the empowerment of consumers to reduce their carbon emissions.
For more, go to: energyredress.org.uk
