Are you a business or home owner who wants to cut down on energy costs - you may qualify for lucrative grants from the SEAI?

As Ireland faces more pressure to become as environmentally friendly as our EU neighbours including the UK - for the moment - the SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) has a wide range of grants available to homeowners, business owners, communities and large industries who are willing to play their part.

BUSINESS OWNERS

From SMEs to Large energy users, funding opportunities apply to both the public and private sector and a wide range of businesses.

Project Assistance Grants

Spending over €250,000 per year on your energy bills? SEAI grants can help you develop projects to reduce energy consumption and costs.

They offer grants to businesses and public sector bodies who are seeking to develop energy saving projects. The aim of these projects should be to achieve significant energy savings, and build good procurement practices.

The benefits for your organisation

• Significantly reduce energy costs
• Enhance the organisation's reputation and image
• Improve competitiveness

• Improve the knowledge of your employees around reducing energy use
• Improve your Display Energy Certificate
• Ability to divert savings to other activities

SMEs can save up to 90% of their lighting electricity costs by upgrading to energy efficient lighting

At SEAI, they want to help SMEs become more competitive and the SME Lighting Support Scheme can provide grant support to upgrade your lighting and reduce your electricity bills.

Since the scheme launched in 2017:

• SEAI have supported 200 businesses through the scheme to date
• SEAI have provided financial support of €1.5 million

Why lighting?

Lighting is a significant cost for many SMEs, and is the second highest cost for many businesses after staff costs. New developments in lighting technology, particularly Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, means that businesses can reduce their lighting bills by up to 60% or more.

What support is available?

• The SME Lighting Support Scheme offers a grant of up to 30% of the eligible approved costs of upgrading existing lighting
• Eligible costs include product and installation costs. For a full list of eligible costs, please see the Application Guide on the website link below.
• The grant is for the replacement of existing fittings, not fitting out a new site, and the existing lighting must be in working order at the time of application

Check out the SEAI website to find out more; https://www.seai.ie/grants/business-grants/lighting-support-scheme/

Energy Investment Projects

Grants are available under "The EXEED grant scheme" for organisations who are planning an energy investment project. The EXEED Grant Scheme provides grant support of up to €500,000 per year.

The grant level may be extended by 20% for small enterprises and 10% for medium enterprises. SEAI are now accepting grant applications for 2019.

Who can apply

This scheme is open to all organisations planning an investment in an energy project. This includes:

• public and private sector
• new design projects,
• major energy upgrades of existing buildings and assets

Types of projects

Projects can be of any scale or complexity. The organisation must also be seeking EXEED certification distinction i.e. Designed, Verified or Managed.

Homeowners

Home owner can possibly qualify for these lucrative grants including the following, as well as a bonus for multiple upgrades:

• Insulation (30% of a home’s heat is lost through poorly insulated walls)
• Solar Thermal
• Building Energy Rating (BER)
• Heat Pump System (alternative to fossil fuel heating.. grant values are €3,500 for any pump system going to water and for air to air €600)
• Heating Controls (an upgrade grant is €700)
• Solar water heating grant is €1,200 while you can obtain a rebate grant for a battery storage system of up to €1,000 plus you can get €700 for each Kilowatt (kWp) of solar PV installed – the power output of the panel - up to 2kW equal to about 6 solar panels. These can save c. €200 - €300 per year on your domestic electricity bill.

Do I qualify?

In order to qualify for these grants, you must:

• Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2006, if applying for an Insulation or Heating Controls grant.
• Be a homeowner or landlord whose home was built and occupied before 2011, if applying for a Heat Pump System or Solar Thermal grant.

You can apply online for any SEAI grant here; https://hes.seai.ie/

Insulation grants include:

• €400 for attic insulation
• €400 for cavity wall insulation
• €1,600 for "dry-lining" on an apartment or mid-terrace house 
• €2,750 for external wall insulation on apartment or mid-terraced
• €2,200 for "dry-lining" on semi-detached or end of terrace house
• €4,500 for external wall insulation on semi-detached or end of terrace
• €2,400 for "dry-lining" on a detached house
• €6,000 for external wall insulation on a detached house

If you complete three upgrades, your grant value will be increased by €300, and with four upgrades, it will be increased by €400. Grants last for six months so the work must be completed by then.

If your home was built and occupied before 2006, and you are in receipt of social welfare payments, you may be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements.

Mobility Aids Grant Scheme

This scheme does what it says on the tin, offering financial help towards the cost of upgrading your home in line with your mobility needs, such as access ramps, suitable bathrooms or stair lifts. Although the scheme can cover the full cost of works needed, the maximum available grant is €6,000.

Do I qualify?

In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:

• Have a yearly income of less than €30,000.

Housing Aid for Older People Scheme

Similar to the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, this scheme exists in order to facilitate older people with more complex needs to live at home by upgrading their properties. The maximum grant amount available is €8,000.

Do I qualify?

In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:

• Be over 66 years of age (although exceptions may be made by local authorities).
• Have a yearly income of less than €30,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 95%.
• Have a yearly income of between €30,001 and €35,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 85%.
• Have a yearly income of between €35,001 and €40,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 75%.
• Have a yearly income of between €40,001 and €50,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.
• Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €60,000 in order to qualify for the lowest grant rate of 30%.

Lead Pipes and Fittings Replacement SchemeThis scheme was introduced in 2016 and applies to those in low-income housing whose water quality is affected by lead in their pipes. The maximum grant available is €4,000.

Do I qualify?

In order to qualify for this scheme, you must:

• Own your home and occupy it as your main residence.
• Be replacing pipes that carry water used for human consumption.
• Be able to provide evidence that lead contamination is a significant risk. 
• Have a yearly income of less than €50,000 in order to qualify for the maximum grant rate of 80%.

Have a yearly income of between €50,001 and €75,000 in order to qualify for the next greatest grant rate of 50%.

There you have it – there is no excuse now. You’ll be financially better off too!

Check out the SEAI website to find out more; https://www.seai.ie