Advantage West Midlands is providing the funding for a new project in Staffordshire to encourage businesses to make more use of renewable energy sources.

Staffordshire County Council’s economic prosperity and sustainable communities scrutiny and performance panel will hear on Thursday that the regional development agency is putting £248,054 into the renewable energy project. The total cost of the project is £407,910 and targets are to assist 80 businesses and support two new business start-ups.

A steering group is being set up with involvement from the county council, Shropshire County Council, Stafford Borough Council, Staffordshire Business Environment Network, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Cannock Chase District Council, South Staffordshire District Council, Southern Staffordshire Partnership, Keele University, Staffordshire University and Rodbaston College.

The project will build on the success of the Stafford Biomass Project which has seen the creation of a power station at Eccleshall using crops of miscanthus – elephant grass.

This project was started with funding five years ago from the old Stafford single regeneration budget programme.

The aim of the AWM-funded project is to establish Staffordshire and neighbouring Shropshire as UK leaders in renewable technology by developing a renewables business network, showcasing renewable technology and increasing investment in production of biomass fuel.

A Think Renewable Energy event is being staged by Staffordshire University on July 29 to raise awareness of use of the technology in the building industry.

More than 100 companies in the region have already expressed an interest about getting involved.

A corporate brand that can be used in all parts of the programme is to be created.g