The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton, T.D. has recently opened the second round of the Government’s Climate Action Fund, calling for interested parties to register with their expressions of interest.
The Climate Action Plan is the government’s plan to secure a healthier, cleaner, more resilient Ireland for future generations. The Climate Action Fund is a key part of the Plan.
A key challenge to meeting our climate commitments is financing the changes needed to make the transition. The Climate Action Fund, which is primarily funded by a levy on oil companies, will leverage a multiple of the €500m committed to it by government. Under the first round of the Scheme, Minister Bruton approved up to €77 million for 7 projects – which will leverage a total investment of some €300 million.
Minister Bruton said,
“The opportunities in a low carbon economy are vast with a big payoff for our economy and society. However a key challenge is mobilizing people to act. We need innovative projects which can overcome the barriers, build networks of good practice and act as flagships for others to follow.”
Details on how to take part in the Expressions of interest process can be found on the Departments website. Following this process, a call for full applications is expected to open in the coming months. This approach will help sectors understand the expectations of the scheme and build a pipeline of worthwhile projects. It will also inform the criteria for the full call for applications in the coming months.
Interested parties must fill out the Input Form, downloadable from the Department’s website. An information session for interested parties will be held in in early February 2020.
Interested parties should fill out the relevant documentation and email ClimateActionFund@dccae.gov.ie. or post their application to the address listed on the website.
The deadline for receipt of input is Friday 28th February 2020
Additional Information:
Projects which were successful under the first round of the scheme are as follows:
- ESB eCars Up to €10 million is being provided to develop a nationwide, state-of-the-art electric vehicle charging network capable of facilitating large-scale electric vehicle uptake over the next decade.
- Gas Networks Ireland: GRAZE Gas – Green Renewable Agricultural Zero Emissions Gas Up to €8.5 million is being provided to support the installation of the first transmission connected Central Grid Injection (CGI) facility for renewable gas and a grant scheme to support circa 74 compressed natural gas vehicles.
- Irish Rail: Hybrid Drive for Inter City Railcar fleet Up to €15 million is being invested to design new hybrid power-packs for intercity railcars to reduce diesel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Following the proof of concept in one three car train, the hybrid power-packs will be implemented across the wider fleet.
- Dublin City Council: Dublin District Heating System Up to €20 million is being invested to capture waste heat generated at industrial facilities, in particular, the Dublin Waste to Energy Plant in Ringsend and piping it into homes and businesses in the Poolbeg, Ringsend and Docklands areas of Dublin city.
- South Dublin County Council: The South Dublin County Council Tallaght District Heating Scheme. Up to €4.5 million is being provided to establish a sustainable district heating solution in the Tallaght area to provide low carbon heat to public sector, residential and commercial customers.
- Road Management Office: Local Authority Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project Up to €17.5 million will be invested to retrofit all remaining 326,000 non‐LED Local Authority public lights to high efficiency LED Lanterns. Public Lighting accounts for approx. 50% of total energy use and based on the application, the project could deliver emission reduction of over 40,000 tonnes of CO2 from electricity generation per annum.
- 3 Counties Energy Agency: Driving HGV Efficiently into Brexit Up to €1.4 million will be provided to to support the transport sector in reducing reduce fuel consumption and emissions from vehicles by being smarter about transport use and by embracing new technologies. Over a two-year period telematic equipment will be installed in over 1,000 vehicles and appropriate training for the drivers will be provided. Through continuous monitoring and positive reinforcement of driving behaviour performance, the overall fuel efficiency is expected to increase by 10%.