A new £20 million fund has been launched to help businesses buy and install more energy efficient equipment.
Invest NI’s Energy Efficiency Capital Grant (EECG) will offer 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.
It’s set to run over the course of five years, as part of the Stormont-led strategy to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by 2030.
In absence of Economy Minister Conor Murphy, who has been advised by his doctor to rest before scheduled medical tests, the new scheme was launched in Co Armagh on Wednesday by the department’s most senior civil servant.
Ian Snowden, permanent secretary at the economy department, 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.”
Mr Snowden said the EECG scheme will play a pivotal role in realising the energy strategy’s mandate of delivering a 25% reduction in energy consumption from buildings and industry in the north by 2030.
“This scheme shows how government, and businesses can work together to build prosperity at the same time as reducing carbon emissions,” he added.
Invest NI’s new chief executive, Kieran Donoghue, was also present at the Seagoe Hotel for the EECG launch.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
