A new £20m loan scheme to accelerate net zero in tertiary education has been announced for Wales.
DIGARBON (which means ‘decarbonise’ in Welsh) opens for applications in summer 2024 and will support building decarbonisation projects in Welsh colleges and universities. The loan funding will be delivered by Salix and an interest rate of 2.05% will be applied.
Eligible measures
Under the fund, a range of technologies will be eligible including the installation of low carbon heating systems and retrofit energy efficiency measures. A ‘whole building’ approach will be encouraged, aimed at reducing the overall energy demand of a building. Renewable energy, electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure will also be eligible for funding in combination with heat decarbonisation measures.
Net zero by 2030
The Welsh Government has set out plans for a carbon net zero public sector in Wales by 2030, and the initiative addresses the need to support public sector organisations to achieve this goal. In the UK as a whole, direct emissions from buildings account for 18% overall emissions and are the second largest emitter, aside from surface transport.
Next steps and support
Further information and supporting documentation including Guidance Notes and the application form will be published in spring 2024, by Salix. Salix will also be running webinars on 21 May and 23 May. We will update this page as soon as more information is available.
