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A £15 million fund has been launched by the government to help rural communities set up their own renewable energy projects.
The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) opened to applications today (28 June) and aims to help projects with the set up costs.
The first funding stage of the RCEF offers grants of up to £20,000 for feasibility studies into renewable energy projects, while a £130,000 loan is then available to help with project costs, such as seeking planning permission and relevant environmental permits.
Once the schemes have then attracted private investment to establish and set up the projects, the loan is repayable to the government, including a set amount on top of the loan, which is then rolled back into the fund.
The RCEF is available to renewable and low carbon projects, including solar, wind, heat pumps, anaerobic digestion, and hydro.
Climate change minister Greg Barker said: “The investment will help kick start hundreds of clean green energy projects in rural areas across England.”
He added: “Not only can local generation bring people together, boost local economies and drive forward green growth, it can help save money on energy bills too.”
Water minister, Richard Benyon, added: “As well as boosting renewable energy production, the fund will ensure that communities have the funding they need for local projects and priorities into the future.”
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