New £15 million rural energy fund offers the South Lakes a chance to create green power - Farron

South Lakes MP Tim Farron is urging rural communities across Cumbria that aspire to generate their own clean green power to bid for part of a £15 million Government fund.

The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF), which opens to applications today, is specifically targeted at helping rural communities access the money needed to carry out feasibility studies into renewable energy projects, and fund the costs associated with applying for planning permission. It is intended that communities will then be able to attract private finance to pay for renewable energy kit and get projects up and running. Funding can be used to support rural projects across the renewable and low carbon energy spectrum including solar, biomass, heat pumps, anaerobic digestion, gas combined heat and power and hydro.

An application form can be found here: http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/rural-community-energy-fund

Tim said: "We have real opportunities for green energy in Cumbria, fast flowing rivers for hydro projects, farms to supply anaerobic digesters and communities that work together and make a difference. I hope that communities across the South Lakes will look into this scheme and if a bid comes in I'll do everything I can to support it and help them get funding."