Save Money and Upgrade Your Business with the LEO Energy Efficiency Grant
Running a small business is no easy task, especially when energy bills are rising and equipment is constantly being pushed to its limits. If you’re running a café, restaurant, butcher shop, fishmonger, deli, or any small business that relies on refrigeration or kitchen equipment, there’s a smart, cost-saving opportunity you should know about.
The LEO Energy Efficiency Grant is designed to help small businesses across Ireland upgrade their equipment, cut energy costs, and improve operations, all with up to 75% of the cost covered, and a maximum grant of €10,000.
Designed for Local Businesses Like Yours
This grant is tailored for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Think local cafés, bistros, pubs, bakeries, food retailers, fishmongers, butchers, salons and small hospitality venues. If your business uses equipment that runs all day from fridges and ovens to dishwashers and lighting, this grant could be a game changer.
It’s not just about saving energy. It’s about:
- Improving your workflow with better equipment
- Reducing maintenance and downtime
- Creating a more comfortable and efficient workspace
- Lowering energy bills in the long term
What’s Covered?
The grant covers up to 75% of the cost of energy-efficient upgrades (to a max of €10,000), including:
- Commercial fridges, freezers, and prep units
- Dishwashers and cooking equipment
- LED lighting
- Heating system upgrades or controls
- Equipment that reduces electricity or fuel use
Whether you’re replacing a noisy old fridge in your deli or updating your restaurant’s dishwasher to something more efficient and powerful, this grant can help you make smart investments without the big upfront costs.
Step One: The Energy Audit (Covered by SEAI)
Before you can apply, you’ll need to complete an energy audit. This is a requirement, but here’s the good news: the cost of the audit is usually fully covered through SEAI support.
There are a few ways to qualify:
- A Green for Micro report
- A GreenStart report
- A SEAI-registered Energy Audit
At Celtic Dynamics, we’re registered to deliver these audits and can walk you through the process. The audit will help highlight where your biggest energy savings are. Not just with equipment, but possibly lighting, insulation, heating and more.
How We Help, From Audit to Grant
We know this process can seem a bit overwhelming, which is why we handle everything for you.
Here’s how it works:
- We carry out your energy audit – Fully covered in most cases, and focused on practical improvements.
- We help choose the best upgrades – Whether it’s refrigeration, cooking, lighting or heating, we’ll recommend what delivers the most impact.
- We manage your grant application – We take care of the forms, quotes, and submission so you don’t have to.
- We help make sure you’re compliant – And we’ll make sure you apply before you buy, so you don’t miss out.
Don’t Buy Before You Apply
We can’t stress this enough: you must be approved before purchasing any equipment.
We’ve seen businesses lose out on thousands because a supplier told them they could “claim it back later.” You can’t. That’s not how this grant works.
So before you buy, talk to us.
The Benefits: Why It’s Worth Doing
Besides the obvious cost savings and grant support, upgrading to more efficient equipment means:
- Quieter, cooler kitchens or shop floors
- Less risk of breakdowns and repair costs
- Faster, cleaner performance (like shorter dishwasher cycles)
- Happier teams and better customer experience
- Showing your customers you care about sustainability
It’s also a chance to futureproof your business and bring your operations up to modern standards, all with minimal financial risk.
Ready to Start?
If you’re a small business owner and want to:
- Cut energy costs
- Upgrade old, inefficient equipment
- Get expert help with audits and grants
We’d love to help.
At Celtic Dynamics, we make it easy, from the audit to the application and everything in between.
Don’t leave money on the table.
Let’s get your business saving energy (and cash).