The Carbon Trust has just announced plans to provide UK businesses with green equipment finance worth up to £550m over the next 3 years. In conjunction with Siemens Financial Services, the Energy Efficiency Financing scheme opens for business on 4th April 2011 and replaces the Carbon Trust’s interest-free loans, which end on 31st March. The new scheme is expected to provide average loans of £30,000 to at least 15,000 SME organisations over the next three years. Eligible expenditure includes cost effective energy efficiency equipment or other low carbon technologies, including efficient lighting and biomass heating. The fund is being launched as UK businesses still await details of the Government’s Green Investment Bank and its Green Deal scheme, which will enable homeowners and small businesses to make up-front capital payments on energy efficiency improvements and pay it back through the savings made on their energy bills. Further details can be found at http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/loans .