New £20m Energy Support Fund Announced For Businesses

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has announced a new £20 million fund to support Northern Irish businesses to purchase and install energy efficient equipment that will help to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.

The five-year programme is now open for applications and will offer businesses grants of up to £150,000 for investments in areas such as lighting, heating and cooling equipment, motors and drives, compressed air systems, and onsite renewable energy generation.

Launching the Energy Efficiency Capital Grant (EECG), Department for the Economy Permanent Secretary, Ian Snowden said: "This new scheme represents a pivotal step towards realising our vision of a greener, more prosperous economy.

"The grant will help companies invest in technologies that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. This will lower costs for businesses and also progress Minister Murphy's decarbonisation journey towards net zero as set out in his Economic Vision."

The EECG will play a pivotal role in realising the Energy Strategy's mandate of delivering a 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption from buildings and industry in Northern Ireland by 2030. Ian continued: "This scheme shows how government, and businesses can work together to build prosperity at the same time as reducing carbon emissions."

Kieran Donoghue, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland, emphasised: "At Invest NI, we are committed to driving economic growth hand in hand with environmental responsibility. The EECG programme is our commitment to empower businesses to embrace energy efficiency measures that will not only reduce operational costs but also contribute significantly to our collective journey towards a net-zero future.

"The grant is available to a wide range of businesses in sectors from retail to advanced manufacturing to hospitality. Using less energy and utilising the energy we do use more efficiently is vital to reduce carbon emissions and lower energy bills. By empowering businesses to 'do more with less', we are safeguarding our environment and nurturing a resilient and prosperous economy for generations to come."