Renewable technologies

Solar water heating system
Wood pellet room heater
Wood pellet stove or boiler with radiators
Ground source heat pump
Micro wind turbine
Micro hydro turbine
Photovoltaic system (to generate electricity from the sun)

If you are interested in installing any of the above renewable technologies in your home, please follow the steps below:

Contact the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre (ESTAC)
Tel: 0800 512 012

The advice centre can provide you with free, independent advice about the benefits and suitability of the different technologies. They will also signpost you to the appropriate sources of grant funding for your circumstances and will help you consider what energy efficiency improvements you might also need to make.
Government grants are available to householders under the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. This scheme provides a helpful accredited installer list. Visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk for further information regarding how to apply.
Contact Stroud District Council sustainable energy office on: Tel: 01453 754464 or Email: energy@stroud.gov.uk

Stroud District Council gives grants for renewable technologies as part of the WISE Homes scheme. The current contribution is £1,000 towards all the listed renewable technologies, with an additional £500 available for a wood pellet heating system. Please read the document below before contacting us.

PDF WISE Homes grant leaflet - 04/09/2008 : 92Kb

How to apply

Please send a hard copy of the application form to us in the post with the original quote. We cannot process forms sent to us by e mail.

To apply for the WISE homes grant please read the following notes carefully:

PDF WISE Homes Grant Guidance Notes and Application Form - 12/09/2008 : 114Kb

To apply you will need an estimate from at least one accredited installer. We recommend you obtain two or three to ensure value for money. Only installations by companies who are registered with the Low Carbon Buildings Programmme (LCBP) can be grant aided.

We also have a local accredited installer list:

Find registered Renewable installers in Gloucestershire ( Link to SWEA - PDF document)
Find registered Energy Efficiency "hard to treat" installers in Gloucestershire ( Link to SWEA - PDF document)

Work should not be started before a letter of approval from Stroud District Council has been received. We cannot pay any contributions towards renewable systems already installed.

WISE Homes grants are paid in addition to other grants. We do not normally fund renewable installations not supported by the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, but if you would like us to consider an innovative or unusual scheme, please get in touch. All council grants are discretionary, which means that the council can decide whether or not to award them, and offers may vary during the year or between years. This scheme also offers contributions towards insulation in "hard to treat" homes.

Please also consider whether or not you may need to apply to the council for planning permission and whether the council's Building Control service will place any requirements on your installation. Please refer to the advice sheet available from the council's Development Control service about planning permission and home renewable energy systems.