Energy efficiency grant scheme launches for Stockport SMEs

Green Economy, working on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), has launched a new grant scheme for SMEs in Stockport and across the city-region to fund energy efficiency projects.

The grants are available for a limited time and can be used to invest in heating equipment upgrades, replacement motors or drives, process efficiency investments and green technologies as part of Greater Manchester’s ambition to be a net zero city-region by 2038.

Alasdair Dalzel-Job, Technical Lead at Green Economy said:

“We understand that a key barrier to decarbonisation is cashflow and accessing capital investment to take those ‘wishlist’ projects to the forefront. Our grant is a real opportunity for businesses in Stockport to prioritise energy efficiency improvements in 2025.

“We have delivered a number of grants for businesses over the years, awarding over £1.1 million since 2018, which has helped businesses to save over £2.5 million in overheads, with annual carbon savings of almost 8,000 Tonnes of Carbon.”

The Energy Efficiency grant is funded by UK Government as part of the Shared Prosperity Fund. Green Economy delivers this grant on behalf of GMCA and in partnership with the GM Business Growth Hub.

Grants are available to small and medium enterprises based throughout Greater Manchester, including Stockport, offering 50% of the cost to deliver projects worth up to £5,000. Eligible projects include heating equipment upgrades, replacement motors, process efficiency investments, and lighting efficiency.

To qualify for the grant, projects must specify the scale of CO2e savings expected from the project. Businesses can find out more about the grant, eligibility criteria and the application process by visiting the Green Economy website.

The Lowry Theatre in Salford is among the organisations to have previously secured grant funding from Green Economy. An Energy Efficiency grant provided £5,000 for the replacement of fluorescent lighting fittings with new LED units, including motion sensor technology, which is particularly effective in low-use areas such as stairwells and storage areas.

Having finished the installation in spring 2025, The Lowry have already saved 30,400kWh in energy and are on track to reduce their annual energy bill by £9,000, equating to 19 tons of CO2e. Emma Smallwood, Development Manager for Philanthropy at The Lowry, said:

“My colleagues and I found the process of securing Green Economy Grant Funding to be really positive. We found the team to be friendly and very supportive, keen to help us successfully complete and submit the application. We were absolutely thrilled to be awarded the funding, without which we couldn’t have completed this work, which will have huge long-term impact on our sustainability and the community projects we’re able to deliver.”