SMALL businesses in Dorset with innovative ideas for combating climate change are being urged to enter a programme which could see them gaining £40,000 of funding to realise their vision. Shell, the global group of oil, gas and petrochemical companies which has a broad portfolio of hydrogen, biofuels, wind and solar power interests launched the Shell Springboard programme three years ago.

It offers six awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 in each of three UK regions (south, north and central).

James Smith, chairman of Shell UK is urging small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to give serious consideration to the Springboard programme. "SMEs are a vibrant and creative sector of the economy, so they're ideally placed to be climate change entrepreneurs," he said.

"Shell's scenario planning suggests that in the future we will be reliant on a mix of a number of different energy sources and energy saving technologies." He added: "Grassroots innovation from small businesses could be a crucial factor in driving the development of this mix."

To qualify for funding, ideas must be innovative, lead to greenhouse gas reductions and be commercially viable.

Last year awards of £40,000 were made to five businesses across the UK. The deadline for entries is November 7. For more details visit: www.shellspringboard.org.