How to Fund Your Climate Projects

Technical Consultancy This can assist if you are still unsure of what projects will give you the best return on your investment and will allow you to make informed decisions on potential investments in energy efficiency – and ultimately save on business energy and reduce business costs. The Technical consultancy support can help your business identify areas for increased efficiency and cost savings. Invest NI provide specialist support to complete bespoke energy saving projects such as technical audits and feasibility studies Technical Consultancy is available to all businesses with an annual energy and resource spend in excess of £30k.

Access to finance to decarbonise your business Deliver by BEIS since Spring 2021 through partnership with Innovate UK and KTN Reduce energy costs and emissions for Industry

Support for projects that increase resource productivity/material efficiency . Grants of up to 50k to help with purchasing resource efficiency equipment. Technologies have included vacuum pack machinery, cnc machines, automated vacuum bottling machines. Open to Invest NI clients only.

The Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme (NISEP) scheme is delivered by energy companies and managed by the utility regulator. The funding is available for energy efficiency schemes, implemented in the 2021-22 programme year and will fund up to 20 or 30% of cost of the project. This scheme covers funding for the following energy efficient upgrade projects. The scheme typically opens for applications April each year and has covered the following upgrade projects for the last number of years:

- LED lighting

- Heating Controls

- Heat recovery

- VSD’s

- Efficient compressors

- Voltage Optimisation

- Screw Air Blower

Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme means the first-year allowance let business set 100% of cost of the assets against taxable profits in a single tax year. Allowances can be claimed for a number of energy efficient opportunities, as noted below:

- LED Lighting

- Solar PV

- High Efficiency Boiler equipment

- HVAC

- Refrigerant equipment

- Compressed air equipment

- Radiant heaters

- UPS

- Automatic monitoring and targeting

Below is an example of the savings available via the NISEP and ECA schemes and the benefit of applying for same to reduce the final capital costs of implementing Energy saving opportunities.

From 1 April 2021 until 31 March 2023, companies investing in qualifying new plant and machinery assets will be able to claim a 130% super-deduction capital allowance on qualifying plant and machinery investments and a 50% first-year allowance for qualifying special rate assets i.e., up to 25p for every £1 they invest. This is well worth a review if you have time to get organised before the upcoming deadline.

- Solar PV

- EV Charge Points

- Refrigeration equipment

- Refrigerant equipment

- Compressed air equipment

- Tractor/lorry/van /cranes

Enterprise Ireland have two funds, Climate Planning Fund (4 grants available) and the Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund (7 funding options available for equipment and process improvement and R&D)

Climate Planning Fund for Business

Offers numerous supports to help you further develop your plan and build capability:

- Climate action voucher - This is typically a starting point to gather your data , calculate a footprint and put in place a high level plan on your next steps. 1 climate action voucher for company is allowed or max of 3 if you have more than 1 site.

- Green Start - If you choose to delve deeper and develop a strategic carbon reduction or decarbonisation plan, the green start grant is aimed at providing additional guidance and training to develop and drive sustainability goals within organisations. It allows you to appoint an external provider to work alongside your team to help achieve a competitive advantage and greater market share through enhanced credentials and cost savings . A company is allowed 3 green start approvals per company. The Grant rate is up to 80% of eligible costs up to a maximum grant of €5000

- GreenPlus - This grant provides support for training projects to develop a high level of environmental management capability, drive environmental efficiencies and achieve improved sustainability. Eligible costs include External training, advisory services. Projects are typically 12 months in duration . The goal is that the project team to learn the techniques required to drive change and the ability to teach this to others within the organisation to ensure continued success and carbon reduction goals are achieved. The project facilitates the appointment of a green champion within the company and provides costs for salary for time spent on the project and training days. Grant rate is up to 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum grant of €50,000. A company is allowed 3 green plus approvals per company

- Strategic Consultancy - Consultancy grant to assist large energy users develop a carbon reduction roadmap. Grant rates of up to 50% of eligible costs. Typical maximum support of €35k

- Efficient compressors

- Voltage Optimisation

- Screw Air Blower

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Enterprise Emissions Reduction Investment Fund

Enterprise Ireland refer to these as Track 1, 2 and 3.

- Capital investment for decarbonisation processes: - Supporting investment in carbon reducing technologies in manufacturing processes. Eligible projects would include industrial hear pumps, electric steam boilers, MCR, Biomass boilers, heat recovery technologies amongst others. Max. grant rate of 30% for a large company ;40% Medium; 50% for Small support from €20,000 to €1m

- Capital investment for Energy Monitoring & Tracking (EM & T) Systems - Supporting companies to put in place monitoring and targeting systems to begin accounting for the carbon footprint of their activities. This includes hardware and tracking systems for electricity, gas ,oil water, steam meters, loggers with installation and commissioning costs included. Grant rate of up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum support from €5,000 to €50,000

- Research, Development & Innovation - Funding support is provided for research, development and innovation (RD&I) activities by companies of different sizes and stages of engagement in their decarbonisation journey; providing assistance in the exploration, planning, development and improvement phases of sustainability, decarbonisation , low carbon products and processes.

- Innovation Vouchers - Providing assistance to SMEs to explore a business opportunity or problem to provide planning and development of new products, services or processes in the area of sustainability and decarbonisation. This is completed with a registered knowledge provider in the areas of sustainability and decarbonisation €5,000 per company

- Exploring Innovation - Grant to support planning of research, development or innovation projects in the areas of sustainability and decarbonisation. Grant rate of up to 50% of eligible costs. Typical maximum support of €35k

- Research & Development - Supporting the development of new or substantially improved products, services or processes, in the areas of sustainability and decarbonisation Grant rates depend on project type and company size

- Agile Innovation - Supporting the development of new or substantially improved products, services or processes, in the areas of sustainability and decarbonisation. Grant rate of up to 50% of eligible costs. Typical maximum support of €150k

- IDA Green Start Grant - Grant aid to support a company develop its capability on a particular environmental initiative e.g. to develop a Climate Action Pan. The grant aid supports the cost of hiring a consultant to provide advice & training to help the company complete the environmental project. The grant pays a portion of consultant and employee’s time working on the project. Client Project Cost €6,300 / IDA Ireland Support €5,000.

- Green Plus Grant - Similar funding basis to Green Start but for larger environmental projects that require more employee and consultant’s time. Max client Project Cost €60,000 / max IDA Ireland Support €30,000.

- Green for Micro and Green start - This is similar to Enterprise Ireland climate action voucher. The Green for Micro provides 2 days free mentoring with a specialist green consultant which can assist you on starting your journey to decarbonisation and how to make specific changes to your business. Typically once this is completed you can progress to the Green Start programme.

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SEAI have numerous incentives and grants on offer. Below is a table to provide an overview. For further information please visit

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