All small to medium sized business, social enterprises or co-operatives in Highland Perthshire could be among those in Perth and Kinross to benefit from grants from the council of up to £25,000 to invest in green technology and develop new ways of working.
The Green Recovery Capital Development Grant has been created to help firms invest in projects which will help grow their business or reduce their carbon footprint through investment in energy efficiencies including generating their own electricity.
Speaking about the grants, Perth & Kinross Council Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Convenor Councillor Andrew Parrott said: “Rising energy costs affect businesses as well as households and so it is vital firms find new ways of working that reduce their carbon footprint and are more energy efficient.
“A number of businesses have already benefited from this scheme, and I am sure there are many more that will be able to use these grants to develop their businesses and greener ways of working.
“Small to medium-sized firms are the cornerstone of the economy and we are committed to supporting them in Perth and Kinross.”
The Green Recovery Capital Development Grant is funded from the Local Authority COVID Economic Recovery Fund, with the grant also able to be used for infrastructure projects such as installing solar panels, new window or draft proofing.
There are various conditions that must be met by the business to secure the funding. Grants are available up to £25,000 covering up to 50% of eligible costs. Project must be of minimum £10,000, (this equates to a minimum £5,000 match from the business), except for EV charging point applications.
One business that benefited from a grant in March 2022 was Blair Atholl based brewer Wasted Degrees, who successfully secured funding via the Green Recovery Capital Development Grant to enable the purchase of a canning line and labelling machine, both of which are designed and manufactured in the UK by Bolton-based Microcan.
The investment has allowed them to keep pace with demand and enter new markets all while maintaining strong social and environmental values, Wasted Degrees founder Conall Low spoke about the investment saying: “The acquisition of a canning line has been transformational for Wasted Degrees and will likely represent the largest single investment of the next five years.
“As a business that began in a garage as a hobby running out of control – the ink was barely dry on my teaching degree – we’re now brewing back-to-back up to six days a week and preparing to launch into Europe.
“We were at a point where we were struggling to keep up with demand and the canning line has enabled us to scale in a sustainable, responsible, and carbon-conscious way.
“Compared to bottling our beers, this investment will enable us to save around 60 tonnes of carbon equivalents over the next few years.”
More information on how to apply and the conditions can be found at https://www.pkc.gov.uk/article/22502/Green-Recovery-Capital-Development-Grant.