Go Greener Faster Grant
The funding round for this grant is now closed.
This scheme was set up to support not-for-profit organisations accross the district to take action in response to the climate emergency. Project funding contributions of between £5,000 and £10,000 were used to help them become more sustainable and to reduce their energy use and carbon emissions.
The Go Greener Faster grant scheme supports the priorities and pathways set out in the council’s Carbon Neutrality Programme and contributes to helping deliver the council’s target of climate neutrality for the Winchester district by 2030.
Success stories
These are some of the organisations who have benefited from a Go Greener Faster grant.
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Trinity Winchester – commissioning an independent energy review
CNAP Pathway: Reduce energy consumption
Grant Amount = £7,310
Trinity are a Winchester-based charity, providing support to people experiencing the effects of homelessness and vulnerability. They applied for a Go Greener Faster Grant to find out how they could reduce the carbon footprint of their day centre.
Trinity received a grant of £7,310, supplemented by match funding from Hampshire County Council, to commission an independent energy review.
The review helped them identify that installing better insulation for the building was not cost effective. The payback would have been over 100 years! It showed them that the most cost effective and carbon-saving measure would be to install further solar panels on the roof of the Day Centre. They were also provided with a planned maintenance schedule that allows them to plan ahead and save for replacing the major capital items, rather than waiting for a critical failure.
Paul Williams the Development Manager at Trinity had this advice for anyone considering applying for the Go Greener Faster Grant – “Clearly decide what you are looking to achieve and get expert independent advice before committing to capital expenditure. Look at what will give you the maximum return for the resources expended - this could be measured in financial savings or kgCO2 saved (or both). The Go Greener Faster grant is definitely worth applying for!”
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Gratton Trust - installing solar panels on the roof of the Gratton Pavilion
CNAP Pathway: Increase renewable energy generation
Grant Amount = £7,500
The Gratton Pavilion in Sutton Scotney is used by the community to host a variety of events and is also available for hire.
The Gratton Trust applied for the Go Greener Faster Grant to enable them to install solar panels on the roof of the Pavilion. In their original application, they proposed to have 36 panels and to install a battery. However, following consultation with their contractor and Winchester Action on Climate Change through the Community Solar Support Scheme, they found it would be more beneficial to have 50 panels and to not install a battery.
The installation was completed in June 2024 and, although it is too early for exact numbers, the Gratton Trust estimate that using renewable energy created by the solar panels will save 2.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year - equivalent to a return, economy flight from London to Chicago. It will also allow the Trust to save money on their energy bills.
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Energise South Downs - facilitating ‘Future Energy Landscapes’ workshops
Grant Amount = £8,100
CNAP Pathway: Increase renewable energy generation
Energise South Downs is a non-profit cooperative which focuses on facilitating community energy projects. They received a Go Greener Faster Grant to run Future Energy Landscape workshops. If you would like to find out more or find a workshop near you, see the Energise South Downs website.
The workshops bring local people together to discuss the type and scale of renewable energy that could meet their needs, while also taking into account what the community feels is acceptable. The findings from these workshops are compiled into a report which is then shared with the wider community. This provides local communities with a springboard from which interested local residents can continue to explore the viability of a community energy project.
Community energy projects involve groups of people coming together to purchase, manage, generate, or reduce consumption of energy.
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Durley Parish Council - installing two battery storage units
Grant Amount = £10,000
CNAP Pathway: Increase renewable energy generation
Durley Parish Council used their Go Greener Faster Grant to install two batteries in Durley Parish Memorial Hall. The Hall already had 20 solar panels and the Council wanted to be able to store the excess electricity generated by these to lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions. They have since installed further solar panels on the roof.
Installing batteries has allowed the Hall to use renewable energy at times when the solar panels are not producing electricity, for example on dull days or in the evening.
The installation of the batteries took 4 and a half days. In the six weeks following the installation, the council reported that the hall was 97% self sufficient in energy.