Energy Efficiency Grant

The energy efficiency grant supports the investment in technologies and equipment of enterprises

Following a Green For Micro report, Greenstart report or a SEAI Energy Audit with 50% of eligible Costs up to a maximum grant of €5,000.

The aim of the scheme is to reduce the impact of enterprises on the environment thereby increasing the agility and resilience of these businesses.

The grant is intended for small enterprises (employing between 1 and 50) who have undertaken a Green for Micro, GreenStart or recent energy audit by a SEAI registered energy auditor and who are  not currently clients of Enterprise Ireland or IDA.

This scheme prioritises the grant aid of energy efficiency expenditure associated with the operation of an enterprise. Enterprises should be signposted to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland for grant aid in respect of the building they are located in.

Background

The Climate Action Bill, launched in 2021, commits to a 51% reduction in greenhouse gases GHGs (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) by 2030, and, in Ireland becoming a climate neutral zero economy by no later than 2050, in line with our international and EU obligations. The Bill provides a strengthened statutory framework around climate action, which includes economy-wide carbon budgets, annual climate action plans, and long-term climate action strategies. In 2021, industry emissions accounted for 10.2% of Ireland’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 requires Ireland to achieve a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030 (relative to 2018 levels) and net-zero emissions no later than 2050.  

Under the sectoral emissions ceiling agreed in July 2022, and as implemented by Climate Action Plan 2023, industry must reduce emissions by 35% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline. This will be a significant challenge for Irish enterprise to achieve.

Eligible Costs

• Meters (e.g. electricity, gas, diesel, oil, water, steam & loggers) and installation & commissioning costs
• Smart energy controls e.g., heating, cooling, lighting, automatic on/off systems, parasitic load controls
• Upgrade lighting to LED (only as part of a package of eligible cost measures)
• Replacement/upgrade with more energy efficient system, e.g. Heat Pumps for manufacturing heating processes (including air, water, and ground source)
• Heat recovery
• Small wind turbine & hydro generator subject to feasibility assessment
• Equipment (>10 years) replacement/upgrade such as refrigeration unit, electric steam boiler,
• electric oven, industrial dishwasher, engineering equipment
• System components upgrades such as variable speed drives, pumps, fans, condensers, extraction systems, cold room doors.

Eligible cost are the hardware costs and reasonable installation & commissioning costs. Products for

which the investment is applied for should be registered as Triple E or equivalent.

Ineligible Costs

• Solar panels; a Solar PV grant is available under SEAI Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme
• Biomass boilers, Anaerobic Digestors; SEAI Support Scheme for Renewable Heat provides operational support to biomass heating systems and anaerobic digestion heating systems
• Insulation, Heat pumps for space heating; support is available under SEAI Sustainable Energy
• Communities and SEAI Support Scheme for Renewable Heat
• Activities related to fossil fuel e.g., fossil fuel condenser boiler
• Software platform costs, specifically for subscription and on-going support and maintenance costs.

Eligible Enterprises

The Energy Efficiency Grant is open to small enterprises (employing between 1 and 50):

• who have undertaken a Green for Micro, GreenStart or SEAI Energy Audit and who are not currently clients of Enterprise Ireland or IDA.
• who are established, registered, and operate within the area of the Local Enterprise Office.
• where the turnover is in excess of €30,000 annually and the business is trading more than 6 months
• for whom this grant aid is considered not to give rise to unacceptable deadweight (where the project would have proceeded anyway)
• who own the building/premises where the investment will take place or must hold a lease agreement on same, with at least 12 months remaining or agreed option to renew

Min and Max grant aid

Funding will be in the form of a grant. The grant aid will be 50% of eligible costs from a minimum grant aid of €1,000 up to a maximum grant of €5,000 per application.

There is a limit of 1 grant approval per enterprise.

There is a set amount of funding available for this scheme therefore, it may not be possible to award aid to all eligible projects.

Ineligible Businesses

• Are operating solely from a domestic/home based office.
• Are operating in the coal or steel sector.
• Are active in the primary agricultural, fishery or aquaculture sectors.
• Are involved in activities that Local Enterprise Offices considers as ineligible or as involving an
• unacceptable reputational risk. Ineligible activities include activities relating to:

• The gambling sector, including ‘gaming’ (as defined in the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956).
  
  • Adult entertainment.
  • Tobacco and tobacco related products.
  • Cannabis-based products which are not authorised as medicines.
  • Note: This is not an exhaustive list and Enterprise Ireland has a dynamic policy position on several activities. Any queries in relation to the eligibility of an activity will be directed to the Enterprise Ireland Policy department who will assess the case.

Apply here: Local Enterprise Office (submit.com)

You will also need to complete the following: https://www.climatetoolkit4business.gov.ie/