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The mayoral authority’s board gave its approval to be the accountable body for the scheme at a meeting on Friday morning.

The scheme launching shortly will aim to deliver more energy efficient homes, support a green recovery and deliver progress towards fuel poverty targets, clean growth and economic resilience.

It will also aim to increase the capacity of the renewables supply chain and accredited retrofit businesses and skills across the region covered by the Greater South East Energy Hub.

A £79.6 million scheme to support the Government’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will be run by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

The scheme will focus on improving the energy efficiency of around 10,000 low income and low energy performing households across the region by offering retrofit improvements such as cavity wall, underfloor and loft insulation, and replacing gas boilers with low carbon alternatives like heat pumps where appropriate.

It will also include installing solar panels on many social housings, helping residents on low incomes to create their own green energy to power their homes.

Moreover, eligible owner/occupiers will receive a £10,000 grant to complete the work, while social and private landlords will receive £5,000 towards their costs of improvements.

Around 1,100 of the 10,000 homes identified by the Greater South East Energy Hub sit within combined authority’s area and 5,000 within an area serviceable by a Cambridgeshire supply base.

The scheme is also predicted to directly support around 2,000 energy sector jobs, including local plumbers, builders, and tradespeople needed to deliver the retrofitting over the next four years.

The combined authority will also identify green skills as a priority for investment of future education budgets which it believes could provide significant opportunities to upskill and reskill Cambridgeshire and Peterborough residents.

The scheme is part of a nationwide programme announced on Tuesday by the Government where 50,000 households will be upgraded with green improvements from a £562 million fund, reducing carbon emissions and supporting thousands of green jobs across the country.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough James Palmer, who leads the combined authority, said: “The combined authority is focussed on delivery, on sustainable housing, on jobs and on economic growth. This exciting scheme touches on all these areas and shows how doing right by the environment can also do right by the economy.

“I am pleased that we have been able to support this clean home scheme both directly and indirectly.”

£79m net zero carbon scheme to be run by mayoral body