NORTHERN Powergrid has launched a new fund for community energy projects.

The company, responsible for managing the network which delivers electricity to 3.9 home and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is offering local groups the chance to secure funding to kick-start their own community energy project.

Grants from £1,000 to £10,000 are up for grabs and applicants have until Tuesday, October 27 to apply.

Now in its second year, the Northern Powergrid Community Energy Seed is part of the electricity distribution company’s commitment to supporting communities to deliver affordable and sustainable energy solutions.

It is managed in partnership with Community Foundation Tyne and Wear and Northumberland and aims to encourage innovative smaller projects by community groups interested in reducing and managing their energy use or tackling community and social issues like fuel poverty and sustainability in rural communities.

Groups across the North-East, Yorkshire, Humberside and northern Lincolnshire have

Anne-Claire Leydier, sustainability manager at Northern Powergrid, said: “As the company responsible for managing the power network that safely delivers electricity to people’s doors, we want to support and work with local communities to deliver affordable and sustainable energy solutions.

“Our fund is an important way to help communities kick-start new energy initiatives and engage with them about connecting to their local power network. Last year we helped ten new projects get off the ground and we are keen to help more new community energy projects this year.”

To find out more, visit communityfoundation.org.uk/apply-groups or hub.communityenergyengland.org

Successful fund applications will be announced in December 2015.