The education sector is facing increasing pressure to produce sustainable strategies and reduce its carbon emissions. Achieving this will not only ensure that they can meet the UK’s Net Zero Target but also generate higher levels of profitability.
With this mounting sense of urgency, many of our clients come to us with the same concern: how will we fund this and implement those changes? But avenues of funding are not so much of a barrier as you may think. Sometimes all you need is the right expertise to help you overcome the jargon and understand which is right for you.
At Barker we take advantage of the ever-evolving funding landscape, pairing great opportunities with the client in need. So, what is the right funding avenue for your organisation? Let’s look at the options:
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) offers funding support to public bodies. It allows organisations to upgrade existing heating systems using low-carbon technologies such as air source, water source or ground source heat pumps. In previous years, £31 million worth of funding was allocated to the education sector, and we helped to our clients secure over £10 million of this. If you have a heating system you’d like to upgrade, be sure to contact us to discuss your application
The Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund is a vital resource, providing grants to unlock decarbonisation in the public sector. For organisations that still heavily rely on fossil fuel-based heating, the LCSF is ideal as it enables you to develop energy strategies for more sustainable forms of heating. There is over £14 million worth of funding available, making it a fantastic funding avenue. Phase 4 was recently announced and closed to applications after a short window in April 2023. We can support you with your bid for the next round of applications.
There are various funders provide bespoke asset finance solutions to organisations in the public and private sector. They offer access to capital for investment and a cash flow friendly way of acquiring new equipment.
As part of their school leasing solution, Maxxia supports green initiatives and works to meet the latest government directives on sustainability. They provide energy-efficient equipment, install renewable energy sources and offer an end-of-cycle asset recycling service.
Less is More Capital is a social enterprise financial institution – whose mission is to generate additional resources for children in education from disadvantaged backgrounds. They provide funding for PV and LED installations.
A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is an agreement between renewable energy providers and organisations. The provider owns, installs and maintains an energy system in any organisation, allowing them to receive tax credits and an income from the sale of electricity. For the organisation, PPA’s allow for stable and low-cost renewable electricity with no upfront cost. PPA’s are perfect for organisations that want to reduce energy costs, hedge against energy price increases or improve the resiliency of their operations without spending their own capital.
The Let’s Go Zero campaign is a community initiative by Ashden that provides invaluable support for setting up zero carbon targets for schools. They help to develop roadmaps for delivery and use these roadmaps to increase pressure on the UK government to receive more support. While not a direct avenue for funding, the Let’s Go Zero campaign works with schools and the government for lasting change. As more organisations join the campaign, the government is more likely to provide increased funding and generate fresh policies for the education sector.
Barker can help your organisation apply for funding, plan, and implement a sustainable strategy.
Contact us today for a FREE consultation to make sure you are getting your share of this vital funding. Fill out the form or call 01279 647111.
MAT Capital Loans Pilot Scheme – LED Replacement & PV Installation Project
The Problem: Brook Weston and Ormiston Academies Trust spent over £2.7m a year on energy and needed to spend over £1m on lighting replacement over the next 5 years.
The Outcome: The Pilot Scheme saw over 15,000 lamps replaced with LEDs, which meant the trust could reduce their electricity bills by 30%. Each academy’s roof was installed with PV panels which will save them £2 million after the loan repayment.
“Data gathered from the first 12 months has shown that the project delivers the initial vision and can leave a legacy of over £2m of free electricity.”
Matt Isherwood, Brooke Weston Academies Trust and James Miller, Ormiston Academies TrustThe Problem: In September 2020, the UK Government announced the £1bn PSDS funding initiative for energy efficiency and decarbonisation projects administered by Salix Finance – in response, over 50 clients requested our support in multiple areas.
The Outcome: The Barker team successfully completed over 370 audits in less than 3 months. We secured nearly £10m in capital funding through the PSDS scheme, enabling our clients to hit many of their decarbonisation goals.
“With Barker’s assistance, we secured over £3 million worth of funding with the PSDS round. Barker has been great throughout the whole process, assisting with the initial skills fund award, the bids, monitoring paperwork as well as project tenders, setup and completion.” (Academies Enterprise Trust)
Various Multi Academy Trusts PSDS SchemeThe Problem: The trust needed help accessing government funding for the decarbonisation of our estates through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) and delivering the resulting projects
The Outcome: Barker supported the organisation by writing a strong bid document, resulting in a successful PSDS application and successfully securing £694,000 in grant funding.
The Problem: The trust needed to secure funding to conduct Energy Assessments for schools and to access significant funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS)
The Outcome: Barker provided end-to-end assistance, securing initial funding from the Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) and helping to secure over £3 million through the PSDS.
“Barker has been great through the whole process, assisting with the initial skills fund award, the bids, monitoring paperwork as well as project tenders, setup, and completion.”