The past six months have been incredibly busy and rewarding for us at Sustainable Energy Finance (SEF). We’ve excelled in helping businesses secure the funding they need to drive their journey to net zero by expertly navigating the complexities of financing for green and renewable energy investments.

Finding the right funding can be daunting, with each lender having unique risk appetites and criteria. This process is time-consuming and intricate, especially for businesses unfamiliar with securing finance for assets like Solar PV, LED lighting, Voltage Optimization, Biomass Boilers, and Combined Heat and Power systems.

That’s where SEF comes in. With over a decade of experience in the renewable energy finance sector, we bring unparalleled knowledge and expertise to the table. Our dedicated team specialises in sourcing the perfect finance products to match your investment needs.

Discover how we’ve successfully navigated complex funding scenarios for our clients and powered their green energy projects to success.

Community Centre (Non for Profit) – Solar PV costing £44,000

The primary challenge for non-profit businesses is that they are not structured for financial benefits, which complicates a funder’s ability to assess whether the borrowing business can service the proposed facility. However, we tackled this issue head-on for a community centre seeking to install a 52kWh Solar PV system..

The lender we partnered with took into account the energy savings generated by the solar investment, effectively demonstrating the centre’s ability to service the facility. Additionally, the lender provided 100% funding with a VAT deferral, eliminating the need for the community centre to finance any deposit.

This solution not only enabled the installation of the solar system but also had a positive impact on the community centre and the families who rely on its services.

The Solar PV payback period was less than 3 years creating an annual savings of £18,392

Private School – LED Lighting & Voltage Optimisation costing £186,000

There were several challenges with this opportunity. Firstly, the suppliers of the LED and VO had been operating in the sector for less than two years, raising concerns about their reliability and experience. Additionally, the School was barely breaking even financially, which posed another possible risk. However, the Private School owned the freehold to all of its buildings, which had considerable value, and had been in operation since the 1850s, demonstrating a long-standing presence.

A few lenders had declined to support the finance opportunity as it was deemed ‘non-vanilla’ and did not fit their risk appetite. However, we sourced a lender who adopted a pragmatic approach. They considered the school’s strong Balance Sheet position and its long history of operations.

As a result, we secured approval for funding 100% of the full costs of the LED Lighting and Voltage Optimisation. This investment created first-year savings of £91,997, significantly improving the School’s bottom line and making it profitable through its green investment in energy efficiency assets.

Glass manufacturing business purchasing a second-hand 398kWh Biomass Boiler (Transfer of Ownership – Renewables Heat Incentive).

 Bloomsbury Glass, the UK’s leading glass supplier and processor, specializes in providing high-quality glass products to firms throughout the nation. Operating from a large building, the company previously relied on electric heaters, resulting in significant heating overhead costs.

The core challenge for Bloomsbury Glass was finding lenders with the expertise to finance a second-hand 398kWh biomass boiler while navigating the complex RHI Ofgem rules and regulations regarding ownership transfer and re-accreditation. The installation required stage payments with agreed milestones, necessitating regular monitoring to ensure timely completion.

Sustainable Energy Finance (SEF) collaborates with specialist green asset finance funders experienced in financing biomass boilers. These funders understand the intricacies of the RHI re-accreditation process and have the systems in place to facilitate a smooth funding process over the three-month installation period.

Combining RHI income and heat savings, Bloomsbury Glass achieved a positive cash flow position of approximately £120,000 per annum, making the investment highly advantageous.

Operations Director, Dr. Inderjit Rama: “Working with renewable finance expert Chris enabled Bloomsbury Glass to secure funding from a lender who understood the complexities of installing a biomass boiler, especially the necessity of stage payments to manage the three-month installation period. The finance terms Chris sourced were flexible and tailored to our project needs. Chris maintained regular contact, keeping us updated and ensuring the funding process was smooth and straightforward. We highly recommend Chris and Sustainable Energy Finance.”

Sustainable Energy Finance thrive on turning challenges into opportunities. When traditional funding routes seem impossible, we shine. Our commitment is to make your journey seamless, keeping you informed every step of the way.

Choose Sustainable Energy Finance and experience the best in renewable energy funding solutions. Let us power your vision for a sustainable future.

Contact us at hello@sustainableenergyfinance.co.uk