Creating an economy which produces less carbon dioxide pollution, and uses cleaner energy and more sustainable means of transport will be the focus of a free workshop for businesses, organised by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
The private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary organisations promotes economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire in a range of ways; including by investing in a more ‘low carbon’ approach for businesses.
Commercial use of energy from fossil fuels (oil, coal and gas) creates carbon dioxide emissions and other pollutants, blamed for warming the atmosphere and causing climate change. A ‘low carbon’ economy uses more sustainable power sources (wind, solar and tidal), and relies less on petrol-driven car and truck transport for moving goods and people.
D2N2 will hold a free Low Carbon Workshop for businesses from 10am to 3pm on Wednesday November 16, at the University of Derby’s Enterprise Centre, 37 Bridge Street, Derby (DE1 3LA).
The LEP is investing millions from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) portion of its allocation of € 250million in European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) into helping area businesses take a more low carbon approach. The workshop event is funded from the ERDF D2N2 ‘Technical Assistance’ programme.
There will be presentations at the November 16 event from D2N2 Low Carbon Advisor Mark Smith, Derby and Nottingham universities; and the Government Departments of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
The workshop will also give examples of low carbon projects already being supported by D2N2’s ESIF funding, in its area. For example:
*D2EE Energy and Efficiency project: £4.8million project – half of the costs from D2N2’s ERDF funding and the rest from project lead the University of Derby, plus partners Derbyshire County and Derby City Councils – to help SMEs become more energy efficient, productive and use up less resources, to reduce their carbon emissions output and environmental impact.
Specific help for those taking part in D2EE will include advice and free:
- energy and resource efficiency audits;
- technical support;
- carbon footprinting and data monitoring/analysis to assess interventions;
- capital grants for energy efficiency and renewable generation improvements.
Businesses are encouraged to work with firms supplying them with services and materials, to reduce their impact.
The project is due to run for three years, until 2019.
*Environmental Technology Centre: A £3.5m project led by the University of Nottingham (with half the costs through the D2N2’s ERDF allocation) to provide environmental sustainability and low carbon consultancy advice to SMEs in the East Midlands.
This includes examining how companies can use their resources more efficiently, manage water and energy consumption, and suggest technologies which could bring about improvements. Companies can also be helped to develop and take their own low-carbon technologies to market.
This project is also due to run until 2019.
The November 16 workshop event is designed to support organisations who have applied, or may in future apply, for funding through the D2N2 LEP for low carbon projects involving:
- production and distribution of renewable energy;
- energy efficiency and smart energy management;
- energy efficiency/renewable energy use in public buildings and the housing sector;
- low-carbon strategies for urban and rural areas, including encouraging the use of more sustainable and public transport methods;
- research and innovation in low-carbon technologies.
David Ralph, Chief Executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “As well as promoting economic growth, D2N2 is working towards making that growth more low carbon and sustainable in nature. That is why we are investing millions from our ESIF funding into suitable projects and running events, such as November’s Low Carbon Workshop, to help businesses develop even more.”
To book online to attend the Low Carbon Workshop go to D2N2 LEP website link www.d2n2lep.org/Events OR contact Natasha Kitchen, Projects and Administration Assistant at D2N2, on email: natasha.kitchen@d2n2lep.org
For more information on how D2N2 is using its European Structural and Investment Funds to promote economic growth and jobs creation in its area see its website at www.d2n2lep.org/EUFunding OR contact Richard Kirkland, ESIF Co-ordinator for D2N2, on email: Richard.kirkland@d2n2lep.org
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