Salix has recently announced a new round of funding for FE colleges to undertake energy-efficiency projects. Colleges will be able to submit their applications from September 2015 up until January 2016.
There are two main project compliance criteria for the new fund:
– There must be a maximum of a five-year payback for the loan
– It must cost less than £100 to save one tonne of carbon over the lifetime of the project (applicants can offer to contribute to the overall cost in order to achieve compliance)
What sort of technologies can I apply to fund?
– Amongst most popular Salix-funded technologies for FE colleges are boiler controls and lighting upgrades
– Other technologies which can be funded include IT solutions, BMSs, lighting controls, LED lighting and insulation
– There is a list of around 120 technologies which are eligible for funding. This can be found on the Salix website
How can I apply for a Salix loan? – A step-by-step guide
At Energys, we can support you through every step of the Salix application process (or, even through part of the process if you prefer).
Alternatively, you can manage the application yourself. If you don’t know what’s involved – read on…
Step one: You can begin the application process by registering on the Salix website. This only takes a few minutes and only requires your name and contact details. Once you’ve registered, you’ll have access to their Knowledge Share area which contains case studies, project knowledge slides and sample calculation tools.
Step two: Once you’ve registered with Salix, you can read through the application notes. These explain more about the new fund, the compliance criteria and the instructions for applying.
Step three: You can then complete the online application form. You will be required to enter contact details for both the main point of contact during the project and an authorising official (for example, a principal or chief of finance). Once the application form is submitted, an email will be sent to the authorising official for approval.
Step four: The next step is completing the compliance tool. This is where you can enter technical details about your project. The tool currently has three different versions:
- Single fuel compliance – This version covers projects which deal with only one energy type (ie an LED lighting project where you are saving solely on electricity)
- Multiple fuel compliance – This version covers products which deal with two or more energy types (ie where oil is converted to gas or a BEMS is installed to save on both electricity and gas consumption)
- Multiple project site – This version allows you to combine a number of separate project types into one single project (ie if payback is just over five years for one project, you can combine it with a separate project on the same building to bring down the payback period and achieve compliance)
When filling in the tool, you will need to provide:
- Your funding request
- The project and technology type
- The expected kWh savings
The tool can then automatically calculate the financial savings, carbon savings and the Persistence Factor for the technology. You can download this tool to check that your project is compliant before completing the application.
Step five: As well as the compliance tool, you will also need to submit your savings calculations, technical specifications and a business case (for projects over £100k).
What happens next?
Once the application deadline has passed on the 30th January 2016, all applications will be technically assessed and funding will be allocated by the end of February 2016.
Projects must be completed by December 2016 and loans will be paid on completion. Repayments will be collected in 6-monthly installments.
Need help with your Salix application? Contact us
