These projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Meters (electricity, gas, diesel, oil, water, steam & loggers) and installation 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 systems, e.g., Heat Pumps (including air, water, and ground source) for manufacturing heating processes

• Heat recovery

• Technology/Equipment replacement/upgrade:

  • Equipment must be more energy-efficient than what was in place at the time of application and can only be replaced/upgraded if it is more than 5 years old.
  • Examples of eligible technology/equipment include refrigeration units, electric steam boilers, electric ovens, and industrial dishwashers.

• Small wind turbines & hydro generators:

  • Subject to a pre-investment technical assessment by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) to confirm site and proposed capital investment suitability, identifying any technical risks or uncertainties.
  • Local Authority planning permission is required. Applicants must submit a copy of their Local Authority Planning Permission Approval as part of their EEG application.

• Investment in energy and resource-efficient systems:

  • Food waste systems:
    • For Anaerobic Digestors (AD) and land spreading of AD digestate:
      • Either planning permission approval/permit, or a letter from the appropriate regulatory authority confirming planning permission/permit is not required, must be submitted as part of the application.
      • Projects must comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation.
      • Applicants must provide confirmation that appropriate AD digestate storage is in place and that procedures for the disposal of excess AD digestate are in place (e.g., waste must be collected for off-site disposal or recovery by a contractor holding a Waste Collection Permit).

• Water management systems:

  • LEO must submit a project outline (providing details of capital costs and reduced environmental impacts) to Enterprise Ireland for eligibility review in advance of application.

• Circular economy systems:

  • LEO must submit a project outline to Enterprise Ireland, detailing capital costs and reduced environmental impacts, for eligibility review in advance of application.

• Sustainable packaging equipment/technology:

  • LEO must submit a project outline to Enterprise Ireland, providing details of capital costs and reduced environmental impacts, for eligibility review in advance of application.

• Eligible costs:

  • Equipment costs, including installation and commissioning costs, are eligible. The equipment cost must be greater than the commissioning and installation costs.
  • Replacement/upgrade/new technologies and equipment for which the investment is applied must meet the criteria of the SEAI Triple E register (if within the Triple E register scope). Once the new Triple E register platform is operational, applicable technologies and equipment should be listed on the register. For items not within scope, evidence of improved energy efficiency and, where applicable, other reduced environmental impacts is required.

• Compliance:

  • All works must comply with relevant statutes, regulations, and byelaws. Obtaining all necessary consents, permissions, or approvals (e.g., planning permission or land access rights) is the responsibility of the company.

Ineligible Expenditure

• Solar panels (Solar PV): A Solar PV grant is available under the SEAI Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme.
• Biomass and biogas boilers.
• Building energy upgrades, e.g., heat pumps for space heating, insulation, pumps, and heat recovery on ventilation systems.
• Insulation.
• Waste treatment systems for regulatory purposes.
• Activities related to fossil fuels, e.g., fossil fuel condenser boilers.
• Mobile assets such as electric forklifts, air compressors, etc.

Grant Aid Details

• Grant aid will cover 75% of eligible costs, from a minimum of €1,000 up to a maximum grant of €10,000.
• The scheme runs until the end of 2024.

Eligibility Criteria

The Energy Efficiency Grant is open to small enterprises (with between 1 and 50 paid employees) that:

1. Have undertaken a Green for Business, Green Start, or SEAI Energy Audit.
2. Are not currently clients of Enterprise Ireland or IDA.
3. Are established and trading for at least 12 months, are registered, and operate within the area of the Local Enterprise Office.

How to Proceed: