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The b Insight

The b Insight

SEAI’s Support Scheme for Energy Audits

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has just launched a brand-new Support Scheme for small and medium enterprises who want to save money and energy. The Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) offers eligible businesses a voucher for €2,000 ex VAT towards the cost of an energy audit for their facility. For most SMEs, this will cover the full cost of a high-quality energy audit with one of SEAI’s Registered Energy Auditors.

If you are a business who wants to save money on your energy bills, then an energy audit is one of the very first steps you should take, as it will:

• help you to understand how much energy you are using and where you are using it, and • identify energy-saving opportunities for you

At the end of the audit, you will receive an Energy Action Plan that will help you to prioritise energy saving actions that will have the biggest impact on your business. You will also get an in-depth, jargon-free Energy Audit Report that will explain what your current energy profile looks like, how much money can be saved, and what impact it will have on your business’s greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, it’s an invaluable tool for any organisation that is under internal or external pressure to reduce its carbon footprint and improve sustainability.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scheme, your business must:

• Be an SME (fewer than 250 staff; turnover of less than €50M/balance sheet of less than €43M) • Be registered and located in the Republic of Ireland, have a valid CRO number, and be tax compliant • Spend at least €10,000 per annum on energy at the facility that’s to receive the audit

Application process

The application and approval process is quick and easy and in most cases your voucher will be issued automatically.

1. Choose an Energy Auditor from the list available to download here 2. Contact your chosen Auditor to let them know you are applying to the scheme, and confirm the cost with them 3. Register and apply to the scheme via SEAI’s

Application portal 4. Receive your Voucher via email 5. Contact your Auditor to arrange the site visit 6. Auditor carries out the site visit and issues you with

Energy Action Plan and Report 7. You review the Report and ask any questions you may have 8. Auditor submits Report to SEAI for review and payment

1. Choose an Energy Auditor from the list available to download here

2. Contact your chosen Auditor to let them know you are applying and confirm the cost

4. Receive your Voucher via email

3. Register & apply to the scheme via SEAI’s Application portal here

5. Contact your Auditor to arrange the site visit

6. Auditor carries out the site visit and issues you with Energy Action Plan and Report

7. Review the Report & ask any questions. Auditor submits Report to SEAI for review & payment

Costs

The value of the voucher is €2,000 ex. VAT, which in most cases will cover the total cost of a high-quality energy audit for an SME. If your audit costs more than that, your Auditor will invoice you for the difference, so it is important to confirm the costs with your Auditor before the site visit. SEAI cannot issue more than one voucher to the same facility.

Interested?

You can check your eligibility, choose an Auditor and apply to the scheme by visiting the SEAI website.

COVID-19

Credit Guarantee Scheme

Key features of the Covid-19 Scheme

• • • Loans from €10,000 to a maximum of €1,000,000 per borrower; Terms of between 3 months up to 5.5 years; Loans unsecured up to €250,000 (unless it is a requirement of the product feature, e.g. asset • finance, invoice discount facilities); The Scheme permits the refinance and rollover of debt incurred as a result of Covid-19 (e.g.

Covid-19 related expenses that were initially funded through short term/temporary facilities • such as overdrafts); Loans will be available up to the end of 2021.

Loans can be used for

•Working capital or investment requirements.

Scheme costs

•The interest rate applicable to the loan will be determined by the participating lender.

In addition, the participating lender will collect a premium which is payable to the

Government of Ireland.

Who can apply?

To be eligible a borrower must

•Be a viable business with up to 499 employees (Micro, SME or small Mid-Cap enterprise), including Primary producers • (Agriculture/Fishing); Have or expect to have a reduction of minimum 15% in the turnover or profitability • as a result of Covid-19; Meet the eligibility criteria.

How do I apply?

•The Covid-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme is available trough a wide range of lenders (banks, credit unions and • non-bank finance providers). The updated list of the Scheme providers is available on the SBCI website www.sbci.gov.ie

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