Sustainable development support for your business
Support available from Invest NI to help your business save money by maximising environment and energy efficiencies
Invest Northern Ireland’s Sustainable Development team provide free advice and support to help Northern Ireland businesses save money by maximising efficiencies in environment and energy. The range of business support available is detailed below.
Resource Efficiency Audit
A free resource efficiency audit is available to those companies with potential to make timely and cost effective resource savings. The aim of the resource efficiency audit is:
- to identify and prioritise key resource efficiency cost saving opportunities(and/or additional sales), that can be achieved in a reasonable timescale and at reasonable cost, for those companies in receipt of support
- to devise an action planfor implementation of those opportunities
- to support those companies who wish to progress to implementation of opportunities by signposting to other relevant Invest Northern Ireland support
Energy Efficiency Survey
A free on-site energy efficiency survey is available for Northern Ireland companies with energy spends of more than £30,000 per annum to identify quick and effective ways to reduce energy, typically yielding a 20 per cent cut in a business’s energy costs. For companies with spend of less than £30,000 the Sustainable Development Technical Advisors will provide one-to-one support if required.
Once an applicant has requested a survey, an accredited independent consultant will visit their organisation and work with them to:
- review their energy usage
- identify energy-saving opportunities
- define practical ‘next steps’
- assist with practical implementation support
Implementation Support
Up to five free days of consultancy support is available for companies to:
- implement the potential savings in energy and environmental improvementsin their businesses
- detail economic and environmental business cases
- improve company performance through implementation of energy and waste saving projects
Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme
0 per cent unsecured business loans of £3,000 – £100,000 are available to help companies finance and invest in energy saving projects:
- Companies can borrow between £3,000 and £100,000 interest free to purchase energy saving equipment.
- Anticipated energy savings offset the loan repayments. So new equipment should pay for itself and companies should continue to make savings year on year.
- A straightforward and fast application process with no arrangement fees.
- Companies to receive a conditional offer within 24 hours of their application being processed.
- Loans can be repaid over a period of up to four years.
Renewables Business Development Support
A company wishing to be involved in renewable energy supply chains can apply by completing the scoping form under the various technology headings of:
- Offshore Energy (wind and marine)
- Bio-Energy
- Integrated Buildings Technologies
- Energy Storage which includes Smart Grid
Industrial Symbiosis
This is a business competitiveness programme which offers businesses the opportunity to match an excess of any resource such as waste, transport, storage, skills, capacity, energy, with other businesses that could use that resource.
Industrial Symbiosis activities include: quick win workshops, cross-sectoral networking, identification of synergies/ potential matches between business participants, follow-up visits with businesses to progress synergies, referrals to other Invest Northern Ireland support. Relevant businesses will receive details of resources available through emails, phone calls, visits & referrals to Invest Northern Ireland.
Further information
If you are interested in getting advice and support for managing environment or energy issues in your business you can contact Invest Northern Ireland on 0800 181 4422 or fill in the short enquiry form on the Invest Northern Ireland website.
Source: nibusinessinfo.co.uk
