Carbon reduction funding

The Carbon Trust, a government-backed carbon reduction company, has doubled project funding to £500,000 for leading carbon saving concepts under its Applied Research scheme.

Since it was established in 2001, the Carbon Trust’s Applied Research scheme has invested £18.5m in 145 projects committed to supporting a low-carbon economy. The decision to increase funding will aid businesses and academics in commercialising low-carbon projects throughout the UK.

The scheme has provided funding for a range of renewable energy and carbon saving technologies including fuel cells, combined heat and power, bio-energy, solar power, low carbon building technology and wave energy. So far, 95 projects have been completed, 70 per cent of which have filed patents, gained additional funding or recorded commercial sales.

One of the commercial successes of the scheme, 4energy, has recently received an order for 400 low-energy cooling devices to be used within mobile phone base stations. Following the grant, the company has also secured further investment to develop its telecoms energy-saving product on an international scale.

Robert Trezona, head of research and development at the Carbon Trust, said: ‘If we are to meet our renewable energy targets, reduce carbon emissions, and ensure that the UK has access to secure and cost-effective energy, it is vital to turn viable low-carbon technologies into commercial reality. By increasing our grants to half a million pounds and matching this with private investment, we can build on the UK’s strong technological and engineering expertise.’