Three tips for accessing green finance and funding
The biggest blocker to net zero project delivery is often insufficient funding. That’s why we hosted two webinars on this subject, featuring speakers from the GLA (Greater London Authority) and Mott MacDonald, the Zero Carbon Accelerator Alliance’s lead partner.
Below we share some key takeaways for those of you who couldn’t make this session, which gave organisations more information about accessing the Mayor of London’s Green Finance Fund, and discussed financing more generally.
Here are the three key takeaways from these webinars that can help you secure funding for your net zero project:
1. When should you speak to investors to secure funding for a net zero project?
“Approach investors once you understand the high-level outline of your scheme, but before you finalise a business case. Discussions tend to develop over the course of many months so start early. The Zero Carbon Accelerator can support with making introductions to investors – simply ask for this in your Expression of Interest.”
Nicole Shamier, Director of Economics, Mott MacDonald
2. What existing support programmes and funding schemes are there for net zero projects?
There are a myriad of funding and finance options available for net zero projects. The funds for your project may come from a variety of sources including:
- Public sector grants, including Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, Heat Network Efficiency Scheme, Heat Network Delivery Unit, Green Heat Network Fund and Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund.
- Loans and bonds, including the Mayor’s Green Finance Fund, the Mayor’s Energy Efficiency Fund, Public Works Loan Board, the National Wealth Fund, the London Fund and other corporate loans or bonds etc.
- Direct equity investment opportunities, including the London Efficient and Decentralised Generation of Energy Fund.
3. What resources are there for green finance and business cases in the Knowledge Hub?
Luke Strickland, Knowledge Hub Lead, recommends ‘Financing Local Net Zero Projects: A Guide for Local Authorities’:
“This is an excellent in-depth guide that covers potential business models and commercial considerations associated with a range of potential project types, along with helpful case studies.”
Get guidance on finance and funding from the Zero Carbon Accelerator.
For example, we can support with activities such as:
- options appraisals
- grant scheme identification and application
- making introductions to investors
- cost analysis
- cashflow modelling
- economic modelling
How do I get this support? When you submit an Expression of Interest, select ‘Funding and finance’ to start the journey.
Where can I find funding and finance opportunities for a net zero project?
Discover funding and finance opportunities for your decarbonisation project with our Green Funding and Finance Finder. You can easily find potential sources of financial support for your project in one place, whether you’re looking for grants, loans, or investment opportunities. Use the filters to sort through opportunities by sector, project types, minimum and maximum amount of capital, and whether they are funding or finance.