NIE Grants

NEW Support for Businesses for Biomass Heating

Following the success of previous programmes for non domestic biomass heating, the NIE SMART programme is launching further grants to support non domestic biomass installations.

Applications are welcome from businesses who are considering installing a biomass boiler or stove. Through the previous support programmes we have supported installations at outdoor activity centres, restaurants, retail outlets, engineering firms and even funeral directors.

Installers must be approved through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme or the Renewable Energy Installer Academy, and products through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme.

The funding will be used to support, through a grant, the installation of biomass heating systems including wood pellet and wood chip. The following grants are available from the NIE SMART programme which is managed by NIE Energy on behalf of NIE:

• Boilers up to and including 150kW will be eligible for 15% of installed cost up to a maximum of £10,000.
• Boilers over 150kW up to 320kW will be eligible for 10% of installed cost up to a maximum of £12,000.
• Stoves will be eligible for £850 regardless of the size of the installation.

Funding support can be claimed for the cost of the boiler, the installation of the boiler and the fuel store but not for radiators or thermal stores.

The application form for grants and the guidelines for support are available below:

• Business Biomass Application Guidelines
• NIE 2009 Non Domestic Biomass Application Form

Applicants receiving funding for the same renewable project from any other NIE programme will not be funded through this scheme.

This is a limited offer from NIE and is available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – retrospective grants will not be offered for existing installations or installations which are underway. Some installations will be profiled for PR purposes to raise awareness of the uptake of renewable energy in Northern Ireland.

Please send your completed application form to:

Gwyneth Compston
NIE Energy
Woodchester House
50 Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5NW

NEW Householder Low Carbon Buildings Programme Top-Up from NIE

(For Solar Thermal, Solar Photovoltaics and Wind)

This Low Carbon Buildings Programme Stream 1 (LCBP Stream 1) top up has been developed to help make renewable energy more accessible for householders in Northern Ireland.  To access the top up grant, householders must use LCBP accredited installers and products and be able to provide evidence that a successful application has been made for LCBP funding.  Applicants receiving funding for the same renewable project from any other NIE programme will not be funded through this LCBP top up.  Funding will not be available for retrospective installations – only applications submitted from the 6th April 2009 will be eligible for additional funding from this new top up.

The following top up grants are available from the NIE SMART programme which is managed by NIE Energy on behalf of NIE:

The guidelines for support are available below:

• LCBP Stream 1 top up guidelines
• LCBP approved installers
• LCBP approved products

When a Northern Ireland application is made to the LCBP Stream 1 then an application form for the NIE top up will be posted to the applicant by the LCBP team.  To be eligible for the additional support, householders must be in receipt of a grant offer from the LCBP Stream 1 and send a copy with their NIE application.

Please note that the householder stream of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has been extended for applications until June 2010.  The NIE top up is a limited offer and is available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. Some installations will be profiled for PR purposes to raise awareness of the uptake of renewable energy in Northern Ireland.

Please send your completed application form and a copy of your LCBP Stream 1 letter of offer to:-

Delta Hamilton
NIE Energy
Woodchester House
50 Newforge Lane
Belfast
BT9 5NW