East Ayrshire businesses will be able to access a £100,000 scheme to help reduce their carbon footprint.
The council’s cabinet agreed to set aside the money for a one off ‘net zero support grant’.
And it has acknowledged the need to make the funds available as soon as possible as the cost-of-living crisis bites.
It is part of a larger £1 million Climate Change fund agreed by the local authority in February.
A report to cabinet stated: “Recognising that many businesses were looking for information, advice and support to allow them to determine the most effective options available for reducing their carbon consumption, it was agreed that £100,000 should be set aside to explore how we could provide this assistance to our local business base.
“This grant scheme is intended to help businesses in their transition to net zero carbon emissions by assisting small to medium-sized businesses with the implementation of energy and resource efficiency improvements.”
The scheme will fund work such as green skills training, energy saving equipment, renewable energy installations, waste management, lighting, insulation and low-energy heating.
The grant will be open to all businesses based in East Ayrshire which have been trading for at least a year and employ between three and 49 people.
Applicants must be working with Business Energy Scotland or the University of Strathclyde and have completed a business energy efficiency audit delivering a carbon reduction plan.
The report states: “This will ensure that they are able to demonstrate that the project will help to move their business towards net zero.”
The grant will cover up to half of the cost of an approved project up to a maximum of £3,000.
However, where a business can demonstrate hardship in raising capital after having had advice on funding through the carbon reduction plan process, the 50 per cent contribution may be reduced.
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