Significant amounts of energy can be saved through management and behavioural measures alone, but capital projects require finance. SEAI supports public bodies to explore ways to fund and finance energy technology projects, and provides advice on procurement.

The main methods include:

• Grants(where available)
• ESCOs
• Procurement advice

Policy and Legal context

Public bodies are required by certain Irish and EU regulations to achieve energy savings and purchase energy efficient products and services.

The European Communities (Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Services) Regulations 2009 (SI No. 542 of 2009) set out obligations on public bodies to fulfil an “exemplary role” in managing energy, including implementing energy efficient procurement practices and considering alternative financing, in particular energy performance contracting.

Under SI No. 542 of 2009:

• Public bodies shall fulfill an exemplary role with regard to energy efficiency, with the aim of achieving the energy savings target established…
• … Public bodies shall fulfill their exemplary role through their use of … financial instruments for energy savings, and other energy services …

SI 151 of 2011 (Energy Efficient Public Procurement) obliges public bodies to only purchase energy efficient equipment and vehicles. Energy efficiency should be a key requirement for defining the need, evaluating options, designing, specifying, supplier selection, and tender evaluation.

Green Public Procurement

In line with the Government’s ‘Green Economy’ objectives, Ireland is also committed to policies that promote Green Public Procurement (GPP).

Through its purchase of about €15 billion in goods and services each year, the public sector has considerable purchasing power which can be used to leverage the market to provide goods and services with the highest energy efficiency standards.