A new fund to assist public and private sector companies with their energy costs, as announced by Energy Minister Eamon Ryan this week, is to benefit a number of Mayo companies operating in the energy saving sector.
Under the Energy Efficiency Retrofit Fund €9 million in funding has been granted to 43 organisations nationwide, and it is estimated that a total of €70 million in energy costs and 50,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions will be saved as a result, while participating companies are also expected to cut their own costs by 25 per cent as a result of the measures.
One Mayo company to benefit from the fund is Drimbawn Mushrooms in Claremorris, which is to receive funding for ‘decentralised boiler and insulation retrofit to capture heat efficiency opportunities’ of €139,953, which will go towards carrying out a number of energy efficiency measures, including building upgrades, and improving of services such as heating and lighting.
“This scheme is an important element of Ireland’s overall energy efficiency plan,” said the Minister. “With a national monthly spend of €500 million on imported energy, we cannot afford waste. Costs must be reduced and the efficient use of energy is one of the most effective ways of doing so. With this scheme, for every euro a company receives €10 will be saved. The benefits far outweigh the costs.”
The fund is run by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland on behalf of the Energy Department.
