The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme is supporting Cornwall Council’s goals for the county to be carbon neutral by 2030.
All projects receiving funding have committed to a set of Good Growth Principles, which include ‘Clean and Green’ – these measures run through the heart of the programme and have been used to help shift behaviour and help businesses become ready to operate in a net-zero economy.
Clean and Green principles include:
- Reducing CO2 emissions
- Circularity – reducing use of virgin raw materials, adopt recycle-reuse principles
- Nature recovery
- Attracting private sector green finance income to Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Projects that contribute to the Environmental Growth Strategy for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
The Programme has also directly invested more than £24 million in net zero and decarbonisation projects over the course of the initial three-year period to reduce carbon emissions, develop green skills and play a key role in the UK’s green industrial revolution.
This video takes a look at four projects contributing to decarbonisation in different ways.
Agri Carbon Kernow offers farmers free advice to reduce their carbon footprint, enhance water resilience, and foster nature recovery on their lands.
Dr. Robin Jackson, Duchy College, said: “We’re proud to be part of the AgriCarbon Kernow project, working closely with Westcountry Rivers Trust, the Farm Carbon Toolkits and Cornwall Wildlife Trusts.
“Our primary objective is to help farm enterprises in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to decarbonise. The Agri Carbon Kernow project wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth programme.”
Isles of Scilly Community Energy Network is helping people on Scilly buy locally generated renewable energy through their electricity bills.
George Goldberg, Executive Director Isles of Scilly Community Venture, said: “The Isles of Scilly is 30 miles from the mainland which results in us having the highest energy costs for households in any local authority area.
“It’s about helping people on the islands, allowing people here to directly buy solar energy at a massive discount compared to the normal rate they pay. Without the Good Growth Programme, this wouldn’t be possible.”
Tugdock, which has patented technology ‘designed to revolutionise floating offshore wind operation’ is helping Cornwall realise it’s ambition for five gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035.
Lucas Lowe-Houghton, Chief Revenue Officer Tugdock, said: “The Good Growth investment is being used to enable our research and development of our product.
“The funding has been a catalyst, to really kick start the development of our product. I think Cornwall has a big opportunity that is on our doorstep here in the Celtic Sea.”
Chenoweth Business Park has build eight carbon neutral business units, with innovative circular and reuse practices integrated into the build.
Julian Chenoweth, Managing Director/ Owner Chenoweth Business Park, said: “I wanted to specifically centre my activities around carbon saving activities.
“So the Good Growth Fund was, is absolutely essential for this project. There was no way that we would have done it without it.”
Councillor Louis Gardner, Portfolio Holder for Economy Cornwall Council, said: “Cornwall Council are dedicated to the decarbonisation of Cornwall.
“We hope to be carbon neutral by 2030. That’s our aim and that’s our target and that permeates through in everything that we do, especially in the Good Growth Fund, where we’re able to actually put investments directly into projects which promote decarbonisation.”
The full range of organisations that have embedded decarbonisation into their projects can be found here.
All projects are funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.