New funding to help hundreds more businesses cut energy costs and carbon emissions in Staffordshire
April 15, 2025
ANOTHER 1,300 businesses across the West Midlands are to get a share of £15m of new funding to cut their energy usage and bills, and help the region get to net zero by 2041, Mayor Richard Parker has announced today (Tuesday 1 April).
The Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) pilot scheme is being led by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ).
Staffordshire County Council will be continuing the local delivery of the scheme for the Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent area with Pro Enviro delivering energy assessments.
It is one of a number of regional schemes that have already helped 2,400 businesses to identify measures to decarbonise and reduce energy demand, with match funded grant support available to implement actions.
If fully implemented, they would save £16m a year in gas and electricity costs and reduce their annual carbon emissions by 34,000 tonnes – the equivalent to the amount produced by 20,000 cars each year.
The new funding will save businesses a further £8m in annual energy costs and cut 17,000 tonnes of carbon.
SMEs can apply for a free energy efficiency audit leading to an opportunity to secure between £1,000 and £100,000 of match funding to implement recommended measures that can reduce their energy demand.
This could include supporting investment in new machinery and equipment, improved manufacturing processes, or LED lighting, solar power, heat pumps, and insulation.
The West Midlands manufacturing base means there is a higher proportion of energy exposed businesses than any other UK region.
As a result, the government chose the West Midlands to pilot the scheme which looks at the best and most efficient ways of helping businesses reduce their gas and electricity usage and carbon emissions.
Stafford Rangers Football Club Ltd, located in Stafford, was awarded funding as part of the BEAS grant, to help install new LED Flood Lighting. The project has been estimated to save over 10,000kWh and reduce CO2 emissions by 2.4 tonnes per year, as well as having an annual estimated energy bill saving of £2,995.
“Stafford Rangers would like to place on record our huge appreciate to everyone at Green Solutions at Staffordshire County Council, without your help and assistance throughout this process we would not be able to have completed these works. Furthermore, we would like to thank Pro Enviro who completed the initial energy report for highlighting the significant savings that we could make by altering our lights.” Benjamin Alcock Member of the Business Development Group at Stafford Rangers Football Club Ltd.
Please note that the below link takes you to the Business Growth West Midlands Website, where you can find out more about BEAS and Express your interest: https://www.businessgrowthwestmidlands.org.uk/support-programmes/business-energy-advice-service-beas/
