Between 2007 and 2013 the Northwest of England is set to receive a total of £521million of ERDF funding.  The Northwest ERDF Programme 2007-13, known as the Northwest Operational Programme (NWOP), has a single set of objectives that supports the EU ‘Growth and Jobs’ agenda and is aligned to the Northwest Regional Economic Strategy.  The NWOP has 4 Priorities and 11 Action Areas, and aims to create 26,700 net additional jobs, improve the region’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by £1.17 billion, and ensure a 25% reduction in additional CO2 emissions generated from Programme investments. The ERDF Programme 2007-13 is administered by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
Find out more about ERDF in the Northwest

These grants are being administered by the NWDA Business Finance team.  The Carbon Reduction Demonstration Awards went live on the website on 1st April 2009, with supporting guidance for applicants.  The Capital Purchase Awards went live too with guidance for applicants.  You'll be able to find them both on the following page http://www.nwdabusinessfinance.co.uk/ 'grant for research and development' and 'grant for business investment, respectively. If you need any further information, go to the 'contact us' tab and complete your details. 

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are introducing a new legally binding climate change and energy saving scheme called the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). It will cover large business and public sector organisations and will have a significant impact on reducing UK carbon dioxide emissions from these organisations.

Larger businesses and public sector organisations must get ready for a major shift in the way they manage their use of energy. From April 2010 anyone with a half hourly electricity meter will be required to register with us under the Carbon Reduction Commitment. Those using at least 6,000 MWh/year (a bill of around £1m) will have additional responsibilities.

Carbon Trust - Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme for Energy Saving Investments

The Energy Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme is one of a range of measures introduced by the government to encourage businesses of all sizes and in all sectors to reduce their carbon emissions and so fight climate change. It promotes investment in energy-saving equipment by offering businesses a tax break against their investment in approved technologies. Through the Energy ECA scheme, businesses can claim 100% first year capital allowances on their qualifying capital expenditure to be used against their taxable profits in the period of investment.

By investing in energy-saving products businesses can not only reduce their long-term energy costs and carbon emissions, but can also improve their immediate cashflow by claiming upfront tax relief against the costs of the equipment. For example, if a business spends £10,000 on purchasing and installing the products specified on the ETL and pays tax at 30%, the tax bill could be reduced by £3,000 in the first year of investment.

Investing in energy-saving equipment will also help an organisation's bottom line by significantly reducing energy bills, particularly in energy-intensive industries