Energy Efficiency Grants Launched to Help East Midlands Manufacturers Cut Costs and Boost Productivity
19th December 2025
Manufacturers across the East Midlands now have access to a new package of Energy Efficiency Grants, launched as part of a national initiative to help industry reduce energy use, strengthen resilience, and accelerate progress towards net zero.
As part of this national offer, Made Smarter East Midlands has secured £400,000 of funding specifically for local manufacturers that have already taken part in the Made Smarter programme. Grants range from £15,000 to £50,000, with a 50% private match, and are designed to support improvements that deliver measurable energy savings and productivity gains.
The funding must be committed and spent by March 2026, and demand is expected to be high.
Driving energy efficiency across East Midlands industry
The East Midlands has one of the UK’s most diverse manufacturing bases, powering sectors from food production and engineering to plastics, automotive, textiles and advanced materials. Rising energy costs remain a significant challenge for many firms, and these grants are intended to help businesses take forward practical, high-impact improvements that may have been difficult to fund previously.
The support available can cover a wide mix of energy-saving measures, including upgrading ageing equipment, improving building performance and introducing smarter energy management across production lines.
Typical examples include:
- Replacing compressors, refrigeration or cooling systems with more efficient models
- Switching to LED lighting paired with sensors or smart controls
- Enhancing heating efficiency through destratification fans
- Retrofitting buildings for heat pump installation
- Installing submetering to pinpoint energy-intensive processes
- Upgrading machinery to more energy-efficient or electric alternatives
- Installing solar PV (up to the £50,000 cap) to reduce long-term electricity costs
These improvements not only help businesses cut costs but also support the wider region transition to cleaner, lower-carbon manufacturing.
The grants are available to East Midlands manufacturers that completed a Made Smarter Roadmap between 2022 and 2025. Only businesses that have been through the Roadmapping process are eligible for this round of funding.
How the process works
Eligible businesses can express interest by contacting:
madesmartereastmidlands@lincolnshire.gov.uk to complete an application pack from the Made Smarter team.
For help completing this, please refer to our Guidance Notes. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
With £400,000 available for the region and a short delivery window, companies are encouraged to apply promptly.
“This funding gives East Midlands manufacturers a real opportunity to make energy efficiency improvements that deliver immediate cost savings and long-term resilience. We expect interest to move quickly, so we’re encouraging eligible businesses to come forward as soon as possible.”
- Made Smarter East Midlands Team
A catalyst for ongoing improvement
For many businesses that completed their Made Smarter Roadmap, these grants offer a timely route to progress priority actions, particularly upgrades that improve efficiency but often require upfront investment.
The funding complements the wider Made Smarter mission to support UK manufacturers to adopt digital technology, boost productivity and build greener, smarter operations.
