Irish energy businesses are set to benefit from almost €3.5M in EU Life Programme funding, targeted at addressing bottlenecks in home energy retrofits and workforce capacity. HERO and BUSUnited offer businesses a structured pathway to scale operations and meet rising demand for energy-efficient building solutions.

HERO, with just under €1.5M in support, aims to strengthen the national One-Stop Shop model and improve finance access for small contractors. The initiative focuses on streamlining renovation processes, increasing deep retrofit delivery, and expanding business opportunities for contractors capable of executing low-carbon upgrades.

BUSUnited, funded with just under €2M, targets skill shortages in the construction and retrofit sectors. Over 400 stakeholders, including training providers, industry players, and public bodies, are collaborating to upskill and reskill the workforce. This presents firms with opportunities to engage in workforce development, secure contracts, and expand their presence in the energy-efficiency market.

Private sector partnerships are also accelerating. Limerick-based Full Stack Energy has teamed up with US consultancy Skipping Stone to combine expertise in decarbonisation, distributed energy management, and renewables integration, opening new international market opportunities.

Similarly, Aviva Investors and Irish infrastructure specialist Astatine are creating an energy transition platform to finance and deliver renewable energy projects across Ireland and Europe, highlighting commercial avenues for investors, contractors, and energy technology providers.

The EU-backed projects are designed to generate measurable market impact: enabling firms to expand operations, access new funding streams, and position themselves as key players in Ireland’s energy transition. Companies able to leverage the HERO and BUSUnited frameworks will have a competitive edge in delivering low-carbon solutions efficiently and at scale.

Explore the full article to understand how Irish firms can capitalise on these new energy transition opportunities.