Small and medium-sized businesses in the UK - or SMEs, as they are known to their mums - are set to receive a boost this month, after a scheme was announced to help such firms tackle rising fuel bills.

Ardenham Energy has announced plans to provide small businesses with funding and installation of green ground source heat pumps (GSHP), creating a renewable energy source that harnesses the geological heat in the earth to heat water and generate warmth in heat-hungry businesses such as leisure centres and nursing homes.

The offer applies to the growing number of businesses who have gone off the gas grid in an effort to cut outgoings, with an increasing number of SMEs reducing the amount of money paid to energy giants by heating their commercial properties with oil and gas burners or electric immersion heaters.

Director of the Sun and Soil programme Andy Allen told BusinessGreen that the project was the first of its kind, and could pave the way for further schemes to boost British business under the Green Deal.

"As far as we are aware this is the first time businesses of all types can switch over to operating a GSHP with no installation cost," he said. "[It's] usually the barrier to deployment, given that costs commonly reach £80,000 to £400,000 per install."

The scheme comes as Zurich Insurance announced a poll of British businesses found one in ten SMEs had considered closing their doors in the face of mounting bills and uncertain trading conditions.

And one way commercial and residential properties like can save costs, as well as their carbon footprint, is by installing eco-friendly lighting solutions such as LED lighting.

Bulbs such as the GU10 LED lamp use less energy to run - typically 8W contrasted with the traditional 60W - and have a lifespan of over ten years.