Four businesses in Cumbria are boosting their green efforts, fuelled by grants totalling £64,500 from the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership's (CLEP) Innovating for Success programme.

Since the creation of the programme in September last year, 33 businesses have had a share of £1 million, helping SME's to take forward their innovation and decarbonisation plans.

Storth Machinery, based on the outskirts of Holme village, is using its grant of £10,000 towards the replacement of all incandescent light bulbs with LED lights in its production building. The total cost of this is £33,743.

Crown Hotel, based in Wetheral, has received a grant of £20,000 to help meet the costs of £123,582 to install a 40KW Solar array and a number of electric recharging stations at the hotel.

The project will also increase the power of existing solar PV to support the EV charging system.

A grant of £20,000 will help Milton Mains, near Brampton, to install solar panels on the farm's self-catering holiday cottages.

The total project cost is £63,500.

Blencow Partnership Limited, near Penrith, is using its £14,500 grant towards a £46,000 project.

The project will see the installation of solar panels and EV charging points at Blencowe Hall and Memerby Hall.

Jo Lappin, Chief Executive of the Cumbria LEP, said: “Cumbria is uniquely placed to lead the way on net zero. We already generate 5.6 per cent of the UK’s clean energy, have strong plans for business decarbonisation and an abundance of natural capital to help address carbon issues.

“I am delighted that the grants have encouraged businesses to invest in decarbonising their businesses, using a range of technologies. The LEP is here to support large and small businesses to progress their plans. That’s one of the drivers behind Innovate for Success."

The grants are divided into two sections, with maximum grants of either £50,000 for innovative ideas, or £20,000 to part fund practical projects targeting carbon reduction.

The independent economic assessment conducted for LEP shows that over a 10-year period, contributions from the Innovating for Success programme will generate an additional £37 million of economic growth, create ninety-seven full time jobs and save more than 4,160 tonnes of CO2.

For more details on CLEP and its initiatives, interested parties are encouraged to visit www.thecumbrialep.co.uk