SEAI Grants for Businesses: Funding Your Renewable Energy Projects

The Irish government is aiming to reduce the nation’s overall greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by the year 2030.

To help meet this goal, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is offering an extensive selection of generous environmental grants that can help all Irish businesses significantly cut costs on energy. Businesses of all sizes—including those in the agricultural and public sectors—along with community groups and registered charities are eligible to receive funds from more than 15 programs to cover things like the installation of solar panels, heat pumps, and new insulation.

Energy consumption across commercial, industrial, public, and agricultural sectors has accounted for roughly 35% of the nation’s total energy consumption over the past decade, with a noticeable uptick in the commercial sphere.

By making sustainable updates to existing structures and committing to renewable energy projects, organizations can future-proof their business by greatly reducing exposure to the fluctuating European energy prices and carbon tax increases.

With a wide range of financial assistance from SEAI available, commercial renewable energy projects have never been more accessible, and our team of experts at Netzero Group have made it quick and easy to get started with some of the most popular schemes.

Start with an Energy Audit

Before any commercial project planning or building works begin, a professional energy audit is ideal. This 3-step process requires some upfront preparation with a questionnaire, a site visit from a selected auditor, and a follow-up report detailing findings and suggested improvements. The auditor’s report can serve as a helpful roadmap to help you make the most impactful improvements. You’ll find out exactly how much energy the business uses, which equipment and processes are using the most of that energy, and what steps you can take to achieve the most substantial savings.

The Support Scheme for Energy Audits awards a €2,000 voucher for energy audits, which usually covers the total cost.

Rapid Approval Grants

Looking to make smaller-scale or immediate environmental energy upgrades and need access to grant funding fast?

SEAI’s rapid approval grants are open to “all businesses, agricultural sector, public sector, community groups and charities seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.” Business owners and leaders can simply create an account on the SEAI Application Portal and follow the steps on the application. After an automated “Letter of Offer” is received, works may begin immediately.

1. Building and Fabric GrantsAdding or improving building insulation is one of the most important steps in the process of making a building more environmentally efficient. New insulation can lead to incredible savings on HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) costs and improve the efficiency of water heaters.

   This grant covers up to €120,000 based on the existing materials that make up your building’s exterior, and funds can be spent on wall and roof upgrades only.

   Learn more about our insulation installation services.

2. Solar PVThe installation of electricity-generating Solar PV panels can be funded via the Non-Domestic Microgen Grant (NDMG) which offers businesses financial help to install on-site solar panels. This grant can cover funding up to €162,600 for photovoltaic modules up to 1000kWp in total scope.

   Learn more about our Solar Panel services.

3. Solar ThermalWhile solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, solar thermal converts that light into heat. When solar thermal is installed, there’s no need to connect these panels to the grid, no limit on size, and a significant increase in the efficiency of a system’s heating.

   SEAI offers grants up to €15,000 for the installation of solar thermal depending on your proposed system size. Be sure to factor in the installation area and total capacity of the storage vessel when calculating your system size.

4. Heat PumpsHeat pumps are electrical HVAC units that absorb heat from the surrounding outdoor air and release that heat into the indoor space. These units can also be used to cool the indoor air by using the reverse process and transferring warmer air outside. Air source heat pumps are the most common, but the more efficient water heat pumps are also available depending on site considerations.

   Grants up to €100,000 are available to cover the installation of heat pumps.

   Learn more about our heat pump installation and servicing.

5. Building Management SystemsInstalling smart tech that helps you automate your ventilation, heating, cooling, lighting and water can lead to serious savings. You can avoid spikes in heating or cooling costs during drastic swings in temperature, especially during more extreme weather, by utilising the setpoint to stay at a consistent and comfortable level.

   Grants up to €30,000 are available for this scheme.

6. Technical AssistanceLooking for a building-specific design package and holistic solution? The Technical Assistance Grant will help your business gain access to a consultant engineer who can better guide you through the best course of action via detailed reporting.

Grants for Large-Scale Projects

Tailored grants are aimed at large projects where you’ll be making several different energy upgrades and don’t need an immediate payout. Your grant amount will be matched according to your plans and is based on the investment your business makes. These are all a percentage of your overall investment.

Larger-scale projects—typically for businesses using more than 100,000 KW-hours of energy per year—can benefit from SEAI’s tailored supports, which require an evaluated application that awards funds as a percentage of a business’ overall investment.

These are highly customised and are best suited to projects with more complex detail and planning.

EXEED Grants

For those looking to construct a new commercial building that follows the Excellence in Energy Efficient Design standard, the EXEED capital investment grant for energy efficient design distributes funds covering up to €3,000,000 of the project’s total cost. The requirements of official EXEED certification must be met, but some high-impact building projects that do not meet certification standards may also be eligible for funding support depending on proposed renewable design elements. This funding is awarded after capital investment is secured and often supports funding of equipment, installation costs, and investment professional fees.

Get in Touch

Need more help making greener decisions for your company and applying for the best grants? Netzero Group’s team of environmental experts offers a full suite of products from consulting to installation and servicing. Netzero Group is also Ireland’s largest installer of building wraps, heat pumps, and solar panels for commercial clients.

You can contact us today to get started with sustainable energy savings so you can invest more into the things that matter most to your business.