The Carbon Trust has teamed up with Siemens Financial Services to offer UK manufacturers finance for buying energy-saving equipment. They say that the potential demand for such finance could be £4.6bn over the coming three years.

The green finance scheme matches monthly payments with the savings from reduced energy consumption. Any manufacturer can apply. The scheme will allow them to invest in equipment, such as high-efficiency motors, that will not only save energy, but will also often help to improve productivity.

The Carbon Trust will assess the carbon, energy and cost savings of applications, while Siemens will provide the financial backing and manage the provision of funding.

The scheme had a low-key launch earlier this year. “The introductory few weeks have shown that there is a huge desire among British business to invest in energy-efficient equipment,” reports Myles McCarthy, general manager of Carbon Trust Implementation Services.

“Up to now,” he adds, “a missing ingredient has been access to affordable finance to enable business to make those green investments. This new major finance facility will improve business competitiveness, cut carbon and boost green growth.”