Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF)

Energy Scheme

19 Jun

Summary of service

Wattcraft works in association with Splendid Engineering to provide feasibility studies that support applications for funding from the Rural Community Energy Fund, a £10 million programme that supports rural communities in England to develop renewable energy projects that provide economic and social benefits to the community. We can provide a feasibility study report that supports your application for RCEF funding, or we can help you through the whole the process of developing a community renewable energy scheme.

RCEF provides support to rural communities in 2 stages:
Stage 1: grants of up to £40,000 for a feasibility study for a renewable energy project.
Stage 2: grants of up to £100,000 for business development and planning of feasible schemes.
Any community group that has a formal structure as listed by RCEF.
We can help establish a formal structure if none yet exists.
RCEF is being run by 5 regional Local Energy Hubs. Information on registration for the scheme and other aspects can be obtained through contacting the local hub for your area. Contact details for the hubs can be found on the Government website.
Wattcraft and Splendid Engineering have extensive experience in developing sustainable energy solutions and have a good understanding of the challenges communities face in supporting the early stages of development of a project to the stage whereby it can attract funding support.
Rupert Blackstone of Wattcraft is Chair of the Energy Environment and Sustainability Committee at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Daniel Kenning of Splendid Engineering is the previous Chair. This together with their professional relationship forged on the Great Notley wind turbine project for Braintree District Council has enabled them to develop a unified and complementary approach, backed up by associates and networks in the field of sustainable energy that enhance their services.
You will be dealing with us directly and we are able to offer you a flexible, high value and robust service, which will be in tune with the requirements of your community, rather than a one-size-fits all template solution. We will work with you in shaping up your community renewable energy project and towards maximising your chances of securing further funding.
We can carry out an initial renewable energy feasibility study supported by funding up to £40k. This will form the basis of a further grant under the RCEF funding programme.