Business Renewable Energy Fund

4. What you can use the grant for

The grant will apply to capital expenditure within an approved project and can include:

Power Systems
Small scale, single wind turbine
Solar photovoltaic panels (roof mounted/ ground mounted)
Solar photovoltaic battery*
Grid linked battery storage system (where the tariff is with a renewable energy supplier)*
Hydro-electric

Heating Systems
Air Source Heat Pump (Air to water and air to air)
Ground Source Heat Pump (vertical, horizontal, diagonal & radial)
Solar thermal panels (roof mounted/ ground mounted)

Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Systems                                                   

Where renewable fuels (e.g., Biomass) are used as the fuel source

• Installers should be MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) accredited.
• Any equipment under 45 kW must have MCS certification
• For roof mounted systems, installers should be self-certified to perform structural appraisals and calculations for the roof structure. If they are not self certified to do this, then a building regulations certificate will be required.
• Other ancillary capital items that may help towards the energy efficiency of the business premises may also be included (eg. a low energy lighting system, insulation etc) and will be assessed on a case by case basis. These can only be included if they are additional to one of the systems listed above.

*Due to the fact that there is a shortage of MCS certified battery installers, batteries must be installed by a contractor registered under a relevant Competent Persons Scheme (eg. NICEIC)

Mixed use premises
Where the business premises is part of a mixed use (i.e., business, and domestic) with one energy supply providing both, the premises must be registered with Non-Domestic Rates in order to be eligible and the grant will be worked out on a pro-rata basis (based on the proportion of usage taken up by the business)