Bristol city council is launching a new £50,000 fund to help communities get their renewable energy projects off the ground.

The Bristol Community Energy Catalyst Fund will provide up to £15,000 per project to enable community projects to go from just a great idea to a successful working enterprise.

Assistant cabinet member for sustainability, Councillor Neil Harrison, said: "We are committed to improving the carbon efficiency of the city, and have set ambitious targets to cut emissions by 40% by 2020. We are investing in renewable energy as a key part of this.

"We know that communities across the city want to reduce their energy costs and develop their own renewable energy, but they need help to get their projects off the ground. Whether it’s solar panels, biomass boilers or an energy saving programme, the Catalyst Fund can help them get through the key business development hurdles such as feasibility and legal documentation. The Council hopes that with small amounts of early funding it can enable communities to secure the capital investment they need to realise their projects."

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Projects supported by the Catalyst Fund will be treated as ‘open source’, meaning that any developed 'products' – such as market research or feasibility studies – will be made available to help other community organisations. The funding awards will be treated as an investment in the project which they should aim to repay over the course of their project, allowing the fund to be steadily replenished to help fund more community projects in the future.

The Catalyst Fund is just one of the ways in which the Council can help community energy projects. The Council wants to hear from community groups about what they are doing and ways in which the council can help them.

(CD/GK)