If you thought that tickets for Glastonbury ‘22 were snapped up quickly, try applying for Salix funding.
The Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund (or LCSF to give it its full name) opened to applications on 15th June and closed 24 hours later because it was ‘oversubscribed’.
The good news is that there is a new phase of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) set to open in September 2022.
However, judging by the level of demand for its sister programme, anyone who wants to access the next round of funding had better have their paperwork sorted out, and the application web page locked in for quick access.
And this is where preparation pays dividends.
Dan Bull M&E Business Development Manager
What is Salix funding?
The LCSF and PSDS are part of the UK government drive to decarbonise heating in public sector buildings.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) set up the programmes to deliver £1.425 billions of grants between 2022 and 2025.
The aim is for the public sector to lead by example on low-carbon heating, and to drive the market for low-carbon technologies and skills.
The schemes are managed by Salix Finance (which is why they’re often referred to as ‘Salix funding’).
The popularity of these schemes has a lot to do with their broad eligibility. Buildings from schools and hospitals to central government departments and local authorities are covered. There is also no funding cap – so it’s all on offer for the right type of projects.
Delivering results
Another crucial point about Salix funding is that it’s all about the delivery of results.
Applicants must have all the necessary resources and suppliers in place and ready to go, to ensure they can deliver their project by the agreed dates. You need to have all your ducks in a row for this scheme.
And this is where preparation pays dividends.
Because Salix funding focuses on decarbonising heating, applicants must show that their project is taking a ‘whole building approach’.
This means any proposed energy efficiency measures must be bundled alongside low-carbon heating technologies.
Luckily, the scheme is ‘technology agnostic’ so it’s possible to select the right solution for your needs and your building type.
How can we help?
At Mitsubishi Electric, we have been working with several eligible public sector clients to design our latest low-carbon heating systems into their schemes.
Heat pumps provide the ideal option to replace gas (or other fossil fuel) boilers. For example, the Ecodan QAHV can provide hot water up to 90oC making it ideal even for buildings where there is high peak demand for hot water such as university accommodation.
Alternatively, heat pumps can also make use of low-temperature heat extracted from one building to provide heating or hot water to another.
These ‘ambient’ heat loops are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to fossil fuel-based systems, and they’re ideal for estates where there are heating and cooling requirements. For example where there are offices and accommodation in mixed-use buildings.
Final Thoughts
As with all grant scheme applications, ensuring that your calculations add up is key.
Salix recommends having supporting information to hand. This could include:
- Calculations such as energy-saving models which explain kilowatt hour savings with figures provided
- Evidence of operating costs and potential savings or purchase costs?
- Project delivery plan
- Heat loss calculations
Mitsubishi Electric is here to help with advice and to provide calculations for our technologies to help you access a grant and to decarbonise your heating.
So if you’re interested in applying for funding for your building or estate, our advice is to start gathering your information right away.
Writing grant applications may not be the most fun to be found over summer, but it could pay dividends for your public sector buildings when the heating season starts (and when the Salix funding opens).
If you would like assistance please visit our dedicated page and get in touch today
Dan Bull is M&E Business Development Manager
