THE UK cities of Plymouth, Bristol and the county of Devon will receive £1.9 million to develop energy efficiency, sustainability, and clean energy projects.

The €1.9 million grant is from the European Investment Bank and the European Commission, funnelled through the European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) programme, and is set to fund new energy efficiency projects across Plymouth, Bristol, Devon and the wider region over the next three years.

The ELENA facility, aids realisation of energy and sustainability projects. The projects included a range from improvements in energy efficiency in commercial and domestic buildings to electric vehicle infrastructure and renewable energy installations.

This award is part of the efforts to create a £100m South West Low Carbon Fund to attract and leverage private debt funding.

Roger Croad, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for environment, reckons the latest grant would be a catalyst for much greater investment.

“We anticipate that this funding will stimulate Devon’s renewable energy sector and lead to at least £16m being invested into low carbon projects in the county,” he said.

Photo: View of Plymouth, Adobe Stock.