A programme that has helped businesses across Worcestershire to generate their own energy or develop goods and services, that reduce carbon impact, has been extended for a further three years with a grant of over £1.6 million being provided by the European Regional Development Fund.

Over the last three years, the Low Carbon Opportunities Programme (LOCOP), managed by Worcestershire County Council has provided technical advice and support to over 80 businesses and £822,000 in grant funding.

Most of the renewable energy grants awarded have been for solar PV systems to generate clean electricity, reducing electricity bills and the need for fossil fuels.

Other low carbon energy generation technologies that have featured in grant funded projects included heat pumps, bio-mass and battery storage solutions.

The other strand of the programme supported businesses in the clean tech innovation sector or those who wanted to diversify into this sector through the development of new low carbon technologies which will help others to be green.

Worcestershire is a hot bed of innovation and one example of innovation which has been grant funded is the HERU (Home Energy Resources Unit) which takes domestic waste and turns it into heat for use in the home.

The Programme will also offer a series of events, working alongside local partners, to provide further support and learning opportunities to businesses.

Businesses interested in the programme are invited to get in touch to find out more by visiting: www.business-central.co.uk/locop

The extension to BEEP is receiving up to £1,624,328 of funding and from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020