Dunne welcomes interest-free energy saving loans for small and medium-sized business and farmers

Philip Dunne today commented on the announcement by The Carbon Trust of an extension to interest free energy saving loans for small and medium sized businesses and farmers.Local MP Philip Dunne today commented on the announcement by The Carbon Trust of an extension to interest free energy saving loans for small and medium sized businesses and farmers.

The loans scheme is part of the Carbon Trust's Big Business Refit - a nationwide campaign encouraging British businesses to replace old, energy intensive equipment which wastes £3.3 billion a year. The money has been made available from the Carbon Trust's loans fund. Loans will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Mr Dunne said:

"I welcome this scheme to extend the help available to farmers to upgrade and make energy saving which are not only good for the environment, but will save them money in the long run.

I would encourage farmers in Shropshire to investigate whether they could benefit from the scheme and have their applications ready when it opens on 1st February."

From 1 February 2010, British farmers will be eligible for unsecured, interest-free loans for between £3,000 and £20,000 to help them upgrade to more energy-efficient equipment. The loans are designed to pay for themselves through direct energy savings provided over one to four years - and after the loan is repaid, farmers will make direct savings on their energy costs, as well as cutting the carbon footprint of what they produce.

Examples of energy efficiency upgrades which the Carbon Trust loans will fund are:

• Thermal screens, used in greenhouse horticulture, typically cost up to £20,000, and can save over £10,000 / 100 tonnes of CO2 annually.
• Milk cooling accounts for one third of the energy consumption of dairy farms. New systems cost £3,000, and save up to £1,000 / 6 tones of CO2 a year.
• Insulation