New funding to help Oxfordshire businesses cut energy bills and carbon emissions

New funding has been announced to help businesses improve energy efficiency, cut carbon emissions and fight energy waste in commercial buildings in Oxfordshire.

Buildings represent 19 per cent of carbon emissions in the UK, but this can be vastly reduced by improving the energy efficiency of buildings, offices and workplaces.

The funding hopes to enable local businesses and communities to address the climate crisis by reducing CO2 emissions from their buildings. The assessors can provide technical advice on new technology, such as electric vehicle charging points, solar panels on roofs, and heating technology such as ground and air source heat pumps.

Those taking up the support can also apply for the Energy Pioneer Award to demonstrate their commitment to climate action, and ready their organisation to meet the Government’s legally binding targets to reach net-zero for 2050. Energy Solutions Oxfordshire (ESOx) will deliver the new funded support to organisations of any size.

ESOx is a partnership with the Environmental Information Exchange (EiE) at Oxford Brookes University and the Low Carbon Hub.

The project has received £150,000 from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, managed in Oxfordshire by Oxfordshire County Council, and with thanks to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

The funding will be most useful for high-energy use sectors, such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, or any employers with large inefficient buildings, offices, or warehouses, and those who are most affected by fluctuating energy prices as well as potential government regulation on carbon emissions