Government engages communities with £10m low-carbon fund

The initiative was announced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) as part of the Low Carbon Communities Challenge. 20 successful communities will each receive support to pay for measures ranging from a local biomass plant to retrofitting homes and electric car charge points.

Ed Miliband, DECC secretary, said: “We’re searching for communities across the country to kick start the low-carbon revolution. The UK has the most ambitious emissions reduction commitments in the world and projects like this will develop the policies we need to be successful. With just over two months to go until the crucial climate talks at Copenhagen, the UK is well placed to show it is taking action in all areas to combat climate change.”

In return for technical and financial assistance, people living and working in the area will work alongside government and contribute to finding low-carbon solutions from which the whole country will benefit. Successful outcomes from the project will pave the way for a national roll-out of proven measures.

A specialist support squad made up of partners with funding and expertise from inside and outside government - including The Energy Saving Trust, The Carbon Trust, WRAP and the third sector - will work together with each community to offer help on anything from negotiating in planning debates to identifying personalised low-carbon answers.

The20 communities will act as national blueprints that will be used to inform government policy development and delivery. The Challenge was announced this summer as part of the government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan.