Written answers
Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Business Supports
Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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184. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the programmes, further supports and initiatives for enterprise and business community that are funded under his Department; the capital, current and total 2023 budget allocation for enterprise under his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23177/23]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department, through schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, provides various supports to enterprises, which can assist these sectors in increasing their energy efficiency and lowering their carbon emissions. A summary of the existing support schemes administered by SEAI is set out below. There has been a high uptake, in particular, of the community energy grants and the support scheme for energy audits by SMEs.
| SEAI Scheme | Description | Capital Budget (€M) | Current Budget (€M) | Total Budget (€M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Energy Grant | Grant support for cross-sectoral projects including homes, businesses and other non-domestic applicants. Typically around 60% of total scheme funding is for non-domestic. | €68 | €0.3 | €68.3 |
| Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) | Supports SMEs (€2,000 voucher) to carry out professional energy audits and thus encourages implementation of energy saving measures identified. | €2.3 | €0.8* | €3.1* |
| Large Industry Energy Network (LIEN) | SEAI assists the companies on energy improvements. Best practice guidance is shared among LIEN members on how to manage energy performance. | €N/A | €0.8* | €0.8* |
| Excellence in Energy Efficiency Design (EXEED) | A certified program for a systematic energy efficient approach to design, construction, and commissioning new investments and upgrades at the earliest stages of the business lifecycle. | €7 | €0.5 | €7.5 |
| Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) | Grant support investment in renewable heating systems using heat pumps. An operational support tariff over 15 years for new installations or installations that currently use a fossil fuel heating system and convert to using biomass or anaerobic digestion heating systems. | €3.5 | €0.44 | €3.94 |
| Non-Domestic Microgen Scheme | Provides financial assistance to help businesses and other sectors to install solar PV panels to generate electricity on site. Grants are available for systems up to a maximum of €2,400 for installations of up to 6kWp. | €2 | €0.2 | €2.2 |
| Energy Academy | Online resource -access to high quality energy training | €N/A | €0.8* | €0.8* |
| Energy Contracting Support Scheme | Energy Contracting Support Scheme provides supports and expertise across the business and public sectors to deliver energy efficiency through Energy Performance Contracts (EPCs), Local Energy Supply Contracts (LESCs) and Energy Performance Guarantees (EPGs). | €N/A | €0.3 | €0.3 |
The SEAI support schemes are kept under regular review to ensure their effectiveness. The EXEED programme was relaunched in March 2023 to provide projects with increased support to a maximum of €3 million and an improved application process. The SSRH relaunched in March 2023 will provide for an increase in the support for heat pump installations to a maximum of 40% of costs (subject to state aid approval) and inter alia provides for additional upgrade measures in buildings to facilitate the installation of heat pumps.
A new scheme for non-domestic retrofit aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises is in development and intended to be operational this year. The new scheme will support a range of measures that improve energy efficiency and decarbonisation in the commercial sector.
There are a broader range of enterprise supports available that assist businesses with energy and climate initiatives, with funding from a variety of sources (not just SEAI). Further information on the broader supports can be found on the “Climate Toolkit for Business” websitewww.climatetoolkit4business.gov.ie/next-steps-and-further-information/
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