Helping businesses in the East ‘go green’

With £3.2 million to invest, the Low Carbon KEEP programme, which is managed by Anglia Ruskin University, has already funded more than 30 successful projects in the East of England and is eager to support more small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, increase profitability and improve competitiveness.

Dr Aled Jones, Director of Anglia Ruskin’s Global Sustainability Institute, will deliver the keynote speech, while the event will also feature speakers from current and previous Low Carbon KEEP projects to give delegates the chance to better understand some of the benefits of working in collaboration with academic institutions.

The programme offers grant support to help businesses improve their capabilities and a recent graduate is employed to spearhead the project, closely supported by an academic expert. 

Projects can run from four to 18 months, and the Low Carbon KEEP grant covers 40% of the overall cost of the project.  The grant can be utilised to create new products, develop new competencies and achieve industry standards, while reducing carbon emissions. 

Programme Director Dr Tony West, of Anglia Ruskin University, said: “The Low Carbon KEEP project has been an incredible success for everyone involved so far and has provided funding for numerous small businesses in the region.

“In today’s difficult economic conditions, we are more committed than ever to offer our support for regional SMEs and to assist as many of them as we possibly can.”

The event on 31 October takes place at The Trinity Centre, 24 Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge (9am-1pm).  Attendance is free but places are limited, so to reserve a place please email carole.randall@anglia.ac.uk

For information about the Low Carbon KEEP programme, which is backed by the European Regional Development Fund, phone 0845 196 4310 or email lowcarbon@anglia.ac.uk

 

Low Carbon KEEP

Anglia Ruskin University is managing the Low Carbon KEEP programme on behalf of the region. The programme’s objective is the leverage of Higher Education Institution (HEI) expertise in low carbon technologies into the small to medium size business (SME) communities in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Norfolk.


European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund programme which runs from 2007 to 2013. This is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development. 

The ERDF is making a real difference to people and businesses in the east of England. With €110.9 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, European Regional Development Fund is enhancing the competitiveness of the East of England’s economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment.

The programme in the East of England has a theme of low carbon economic growth with the following priorities:

Priority 1 - Promoting innovation and knowledge transfer to improve productivity, to encourage commercialisation across the region’s research and development base, and establish energy efficient and clean technologies.

Priority 2 - Stimulating enterprise and supporting successful businesses by overcoming barriers to business creation and expansion, improving access to finance for business and supporting the development of social enterprises.

Priority 3 - Ensuring sustainable development, production and consumption by working with communities (both urban and rural) to support local jobs and business growth.


For further information, please visit http://www.communities.gov.uk/regeneration/regenerationfunding/europeanregionaldevelopment/eastengland/

 

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For more press information please contact:

Jon Green on t: 0845 196 4717, e: jon.green@anglia.ac.uk

Andrea Hilliard on t: 0845 196 4727, e: andrea.hilliard@anglia.ac.uk
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