The Carbon Trust has launched a new campaign to help small UK businesses save money by replacing their old, worn-out equipment with new, energy-efficient technology.
The trust claims that over half (52 per cent) of British companies dont have the cash to upgrade and are being forced to "make do and mend" with inefficient technology, which is costing them £3.3 billion a year in wasted energy .
To help businesses upgrade, the body has launched the Big Business Refit scheme which offers small and medium-size firms £100 million in interest-free, business loans to invest in green equipment costing between £3,000 and £400,000.
Businesses can then repay the unsecured loan over a period of up to four years through the energy savings made by installing the new machinery.
The campaign, which is being promoted by Dragons Den star and business expert Theo Paphitis, is running until March 2010 and also offers SMEs expert advice on energy saving in the workplace through special clinics running in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Belfast .
Commenting on the scheme, Mr Paphitis said: "The Big Business Refit calls on all UK businesses to scour their premises for old equipment, from air conditioning, to fridges, compressors to factory machinery."
"With interest-free funding available to replace equipment, leading to average energy savings of 15 per cent, and no security required, it's an unbelievable deal."




