£2.8m supports transfer of low carbon expertise to SMEs

Press release issued: 8 June 2010



Ashcroft Building, Chelmsford campus
A unique new initiative, designed specifically to help businesses in the region reduce their carbon emissions, has been launched in the East of England with the help of over £2.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Called Low Carbon sKTP, the initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, and has been designed to support the region's carbon reduction objectives, by offering businesses easy access to the low carbon expertise held in the region's Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).


Project director, Dr Tony West, from Anglia Ruskin University, one of the partners delivering the project, said:

"The Low Carbon sKTP has been designed specifically for those small and medium-sized enterprises looking to achieve a significant reduction in their carbon footprint by changing the way they operate.

This could be through developing new, or improving old, products and services, and helping businesses to adapt and adjust their processes. This will have direct impact on regional business and their carbon footprints as the project plans to help 331 individual businesses."


Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a national scheme designed to bring together HEIs and businesses to help them improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance. Recently a Shorter KTP (sKTP) has been designed to make them even more accessible to businesses, hence the project name Low Carbon sKTP.

Universities from across the East of England will handle the delivery of the Low Carbon sKTPs, with each project having an 'associate' from the university who will be responsible for transferring the knowledge into the SME over a period of between 10 and 40 weeks.

Projects eligible for help from the Low Carbon sKTP will be in one of the following areas: Technology development or adoption; process improvement, for example the reduction of energy consumption; change in behaviour, such as waste reduction and recycling; and the reuse or extension of a component or products life.


David Morrall, International Director for the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), which manages the ERDF in the region, commented:

"Innovation is essential if businesses are to move efficiently and effectively towards a low carbon existence. The key to this is bringing together businesses, who ultimately make and market the products, with universities who have the expertise to help them innovate. This is the first time that this kind of programme has been designed to specifically support a low carbon agenda and is a fantastic opportunity for SMEs to gain access to knowledge that would otherwise be unavailable."


The Low Carbon sKTP is being managed and funded by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), which funds and manages KTPs on behalf of 19 other government organisations across the UK. There are around 1,300 projects running across the UK at any one time and full details of these and the Low Carbon sKTP can be found at visit KTP Online.


Pete Munday, programme manager for TSB, said:

"KTPs are helping businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK Knowledge Base. Now, with this new Low Carbon sKTP businesses are also being helped to reduce their carbon footprint which is an essential if they are to remain competitive in a low-carbon future."


The project will be available over a two and a half year period at a total value of £7,106,898 with £2,842,759 funding from the ERDF. To find out more information about KTPs and if your business is eligible for support from the Low Carbon sKTP visit KTP Online.


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