Helping businesses meet the challenges of climate change and reduce their energy use and costs.
Ngage has been at the forefront of delivering green business support since 2010 when decarbonisation became established as a key driver of economic policy. Today, we are one of the biggest suppliers of sustainability funding programmes to small and medium-sized (SME) businesses in the UK.
Tried and trusted by the most prestigious British and European funding bodies and public sector organisations, our programmes support SMEs to cut emissions, incentivise innovation, save money and minimise waste. By encouraging businesses to ‘think global, and act local’, we enable the kind of real-life transformational change needed to turn policy priorities into impressive carbon emission savings.
One of our flagship green programmes, Low Carbon Workspaces supported the shift towards a low carbon economy by incentivising businesses to implement energy and carbon-saving initiatives, enabling them to save money on energy bills, decarbonise, and achieve their net zero goals.
Running from 2017 until 2023, the project was rolled out across six areas: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, The Black Country, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Northamptonshire. Here's a highlight reel of businesses we worked with and supported.
Match-funded capital grants contributed towards projects at commercial premises that reduce energy usage or carbon emissions, including LED lighting, solar PV panels, heating upgrades, and insulation/glazing. A wide variety of businesses benefited – from a seafood wholesaler to a machine hire business and an industrial property supplier.
The programme delivered annual savings of 5,033 tonnes of CO2e, supported 933 businesses, and delivered over £3.3million of grant funding to SMEs.. Through collaboration with creditable suppliers, the programme stimulated growth in the local environmental technology sector and reduced supply chain fragmentation.
Ngage has partnered with many regions on programmes that delivered change-making interventions.
Sustainable Routes helped businesses to develop smarter working practices and cut business mileage. Timber brought together partners across Europe to increase demand for biomass storage. The Woodfuel Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG) saw Ngage partner with the Forestry Commission to support the delivery of new road infrastructure into woodlands and marketing support to producers of sustainable wood fuel and timber products in Cumbria, The South East and South West.
The LEADER programme, which was delivered in the Chilterns, Aylesbury Vale, rural Milton Keynes, and North, West and South Northamptonshire, enabled a whole range of green improvements in the rural economy from the introduction of non-plough techniques in farms to increase bio-diversity to supporting the production of the world’s first carbon and plastic-neutral rapeseed oil.
Since 2017, match-funded grants from Low Carbon Workspaces have helped small and medium-sized businesses invest in carbon saving technologies, lowering their energy bills and taking control of their carbon footprints.
"DLUHC has worked closely with Ngage Solutions since 2009 to deliver a number of contracts that have supported businesses to grow, reduce carbon emissions and be more innovative.
"Local businesses that have been supported are now much better placed to meet the challenges of net zero."
“The grant from Low Carbon Workspaces allowed us to purchase and install a new wash bay. We now use over 40% less water, the soil and muck is captured and recycled appropriately and our machines still go out of the door sparkling!”
See the impact our Sustainable Routes grant programme had on recipients.
Take a look at the impact of the Grants for Eco Innovation grant to see how the recipients benefited.
“This was the first time the Forestry Commission had used an external partner for grant delivery, and it was an extremely positive experience in terms of delivery, relationships, communications and achieving successful outcomes.”
Supporting the shift to a low carbon economy, this flagship programme reduces business CO2e emissions, while growing the local environmental technology sector. Using capital grants of up to £6,750, the scheme part-funds commercial projects which downscale our carbon footprint. Typical projects include LED lighting, new boilers, solar panels, insulation, and more efficient machinery.
ERDF
Active in 10 counties · 933 businesses supported · 987 grants awarded · £1.9m grant value leveraging an additional £2.7m in match-funded investment · Reduced CO2e emissions from commercial property by 5,033 tonnes · 80 jobs created · 78 jobs safeguarded · £4.9 GVA uplift · 900+ SMEs reduced energy consumption and made cost savings or process improvements · Beyond the carbon, we have also achieved the following – per year: 1,387,236 litres water reduced - 60 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill. - 30,000 litres of solvent-based paint reduced. - 24,722 litres of diesel reduced.
Since its initial launch in 2017, Low Carbon Workspaces ran in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire Thames Valley, Hertfordshire, The Black Country, and expanded to the South East Midlands area including Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.
Grants covered a wide range of projects including lighting systems, insulation, double glazing, hot water showers, heating controls, under-floor heating and industrial machinery.
“The project has been a great success. We have already seen a dramatic reduction in gas usage over the short period that the new water heaters have been in operation.“
The Net Zero MK programme, delivered by Ngage Solutions Ltd on behalf of Milton Keynes City Council, aimed to assist businesses in aligning their carbon neutrality goals with the city's commitment to become Net Zero by 2030. The programme focused on providing carbon footprint assessments, Net Zero reports, expert-led workshops, environmental vouchers, and engaging with individuals to uplift green skills. The programme surpassed its targets and achieved positive outcomes for participating businesses.
Milton Keynes City Council.
The Net Zero MK programme successfully assisted businesses in Milton Keynes in aligning their environmental goals with the city’s commitment to carbon neutrality. The programme exceeded its targets, with businesses receiving carbon footprint assessments, Net Zero reports, and environmental vouchers. A significant number of individuals were engaged, demonstrating the positive impact of the programme on the local business community. Continuing efforts to attract new businesses and provide ongoing support to programme alumni will further enrich emissions reduction strategies and contribute to a sustainable future.
Ngage Solutions provided support to all 100 applicants with Net Zero reports and guidance towards achieving Net Zero. The programme encouraged businesses to commit to Net Zero emissions through the SME Climate Hub Commitment and aligned with Science Based Target Initiative methodologies. The engagement of businesses and individuals was achieved through workshops, assistance in completing carbon footprints and developing strategies for emission reduction. Environmental vouchers were distributed to support a wide range of interventions, fostering the transition to Net Zero.
Match-funded grants up to £3000 to support the introduction of fully tested, market-ready products, services or processes with a low environmental impact.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
84 businesses delivered eco innovation improvements • 20 companies increased turnover share for new/improved products by 5% • Reduced CO2 footprint by 3,114 tonnes • 13 jobs created
New launch products, services or processes needed to offer a quantifiable environmental benefit such as reducing waste, water usage, CO2 emissions or improving energy efficiency. Applicants needed a working prototype that was ready for market. Grants required match-funding, with a maximum grant payable of £3,000. To claim the full grant, businesses needed to invest £9,667 or more. Examples of activities funded included the use of marketing and web development agencies, sales agents, and taking stands at trade shows. The scheme was open to SMEs across the South East of England (excluding London).
Supported the sustainable production of woodfuel and other timber products in the South East, South West and Cumbria by incentivising investment in enabling infrastructure and marketing support with match-funded grants up to £200,000
Rural Development Programme England (RDPE); Forestry Commission
237 woodland schemes supported • £5 million grants distributed
The main aim of the Woodfuel WIG initiative was to support the growth of a vibrant biomass industry by increasing the availability and use of sustainably grown wood as a substitute for fossil fuels in heating systems. With a national goal of bringing an additional 2 million tonnes of timber to market, the scheme also aimed to reduce CO2 emissions, reverse declines in woodland biodiversity and create economic opportunity in rural areas.
The grant fund consisted of 2 strands, Timber and Roads. The Timber fund paid towards professional support marketing timber from previously unmanaged woods. The Roads fund supported infrastructure projects designed to unlock timber volume in previously inaccessible areas by constructing tracks and hard standing areas that could be used by modern machinery for felling, stacking and loading.
This was the first time that the Forestry Commission had outsourced the administration of a grant scheme.
“This was the first time the Forestry Commission had used an external partner for grant delivery, and it was an extremely positive experience in terms of delivery, relationships, communications and achieving successful outcomes.”
Helped businesses to develop smarter working practices and reduce CO2 emissions caused by business travel with the aid of a £1000 capital grant.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
GVA uplift of £8.5m+ • CO2 emissions reduced by 4,600 tonnes • 700 grants awarded • 2200 businesses engaged • 270 businesses achieved energy and resource efficiencies · 170 enterprises joined new business networks
Over the life of the programme, Ngage awarded over 450 grants to help businesses throughout the South East cut back on business mileage, save money on travel and reduce their carbon emissions. The grants were used for expenditure such as consultancy on remote working infrastructures and mobility strategies; developing flexible working policies; showers and bike racks, video-conferencing equipment, laptops and vehicle fuel conversion to LPG.
Website: https://www.sustainableroutes.co.uk
The project was established to encourage companies to adopt environmentally-friendly behaviour which they could feed down through their supply chains and to their employees.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).
130 SMEs engaged • 20 group facilitators recruited • 18 networking events organised • 115 case studies developed • 18 newsletters published
Ten work groups of employer representatives were set up across the South East with Ngage managing those in Milton Keynes, Oxford, Reading and Gatwick. Each group had two facilitators from large companies with a track record of implementing sustainable business practices.
Over two years, the groups addressed a wide range of sustainability issues from energy efficiency and carbon offset schemes to water use and waste policies. At the outset, data was collected from each participating business on their current practices and usage of key inputs such as fuel, lighting and water. These were reviewed throughout the programme as new measures were put in place in order to track improvements in resource efficiency. Members shared their knowledge and experiences to help support each other through the idea generation and implementation stage which helped them to overcome common challenges and see their initiatives through to a successful conclusion.
Targeting increased use of biomass energy, TIMBER brought together experts from across Europe to study the barriers to market growth, and developed a toolkit to enable partner regions to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the sector.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); Interreg IVC POWER programme
Development of studies into the UK Biomass energy market including: • The economic viability of small biomass boilers in Buckinghamshire • Energy crop capacity & market demand • A model for achieving a consistency of supply in energy crops • New methodologies for harvesting and processing energy crops • A distribution model for supplying biomass energy to end users • An overall Biomass Energy Plan
Partners from five regions took part – from the UK, Spain, Sweden, Holland and Poland. Each region had varying experience and expertise in the development and implementation of Biomass Energy solutions, and faced both common challenges and factors which were unique to their local environment. An assessment of current and future market conditions was undertaken, examining challenges and opportunities in policy, technology, supply-side economics, demand management, and finance. Partners shared their own experiences of developing biomass projects and then developed a set of standardised tools to help them overcome barriers to growth and encourage the development of new biomass resources.