WDC Consultancy for SME Zero Carbon Project

In support of the Climate Emergency Plan, WDC has secured funding from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) Foundation to deliver a business engagement project to increase the uptake of renewable energy (and energy efficiency) on the Diplocks Industrial Estate. Two sets of consultants will be procured to help deliver the project - an engagement consultant and a technical consultant.

SMEs are often busy, and a small number of people have a wide range of responsibilities. This can mean that activities perceived as 'additional' are not a priority. A further issue is that SMEs often lease properties, and installing renewable energy or making energy efficiency improvements can be challenging, depending on lease terms, ROI timelines and landlord buy-in.

This project seeks to address those barriers and provide knowledge and engagement support to businesses to increase uptake of energy audits and installation of renewable energy technology on the Diplocks Estate. Results and learning will be distributed nationally to inform engagement approaches in other areas.

The project will run for 10 months from September 2021 and involve a programme of sustained engagement with businesses and landowners on the estate to raise awareness and generate interest in the project among both groups.

In addition to the engagement support procured through this exercise, the project will also draw support from the LoCASE business support programme in the form of free energy audits for participating businesses. Following this audit, a technical feasibility study and business case will be offered to demonstrate the value of proposed measures and encourage take up. The engagement consultant will assist the business from initial engagement through to installation of measures.