Energia welcomes the recent Government announcement that will see a new €55 million programme to help businesses plan for a more sustainable future and accelerate their decarbonisation journeys.
The Green Transition Fund is part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which is funded by the European Union.
The programme, which will run over the next five years will primarily comprise of the following:
- The Climate Planning Fund for Business, which will give businesses funding to devise a personalised plan to identify how best to eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels. A €1,800 grant to develop a plan and up to €50,000 matched funding to go towards specific capacity building within an enterprise, are among the grants available.
- The Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund will offer funding to invest in energy monitoring and tracking, carbon neutral heating processes, smart metering and research and development. Up to €1 million is available for manufacturing businesses to upgrade their processes.
As part of its commitment to business and communities across Ireland, Energia has a range of supports to assist companies in more sustainable business practices. The Energia Cash for Kilowatts scheme can help businesses maximise their energy efficiency and reduce their overall carbon footprint by offering energy efficiency grants. The scheme provides grants of up to 20% as a once off payment to participating businesses based on the annual savings achieved from energy conservation measures. Grants are available for the latest in energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology, which will help businesses reduce their energy consumption. As part of the scheme Energia will help to identify, measure, and verify the savings achieved to maximise the funding provided.
Energia also provides business with real-time energy and environmental monitoring so that they can take control of their energy consumption and reduce wastage. The Connect360 personalised web portal is suitable for businesses of all sizes and covers a range of operational processes. Eliminating waste will maximise energy efficiency and help businesses account for and reduce the carbon impact of their activities.
Commenting on the new Government programme and Energia support for business, Andy Meagher, Energia Customer Solutions Director said, “We welcome this announcement by Government as part of their ongoing commitment to support businesses to operate more sustainably. We understand the vital role of businesses in decarbonisation at a local, national, and global level, as reflected by the ongoing success of programmes such as Cash for Kilowatts and Connect360. Through our €3 billion Positive Energy investment programme focusing on renewable energy projects and 100% renewable electricity supply, we remain committed to partnering with businesses of all sizes to support their energy transition that will not only benefit the environment but also enhance their performance”.