Communities urged to apply for Generation Green Fund
SSE Airtricity has extended the consultation process for its €5 million all-island Community Fund until August 23. The fund aims to deliver meaningful community benefits across the island of Ireland. The consultation process is inviting views from communities, individuals and organisations from towns, villages, inner cities, and rural heartlands, to advise how the fund could best support green initiatives throughout our communities.
The SSE Airtricity Generation Green Community fund is part of SSE Airtricity’s commitment to customers and the communities it serves by supporting them on the path to net zero through education, awareness raising, as well as grant funding and energy efficiency supports.
Klair Neenan, Managing Director of SSE Airtricity, said: “Getting to net zero is in everyone’s interest and local communities will be at the heart of the energy transition. We know there are passionate people and groups working hard across Ireland and we want to help them make a positive difference by powering up their sustainability plans. But funding can often be an issue. That’s why we’re delighted to launch our unique Generation Green Community Fund.
“We know issues like biodiversity, education and decarbonisation are big priorities but to ensure the funding makes the biggest difference we want to hear from local communities directly. That’s why we’re launching this initial consultation, and we look forward to hearing from communities and individuals, to inform how the fund should be used.”
As part of the consultation process, SSE Airtricity is inviting local communities and individuals to shape what the priorities for the fund should be. This will ensure the fund focuses on what is most important to communities. Examples of priorities may include green energy upgrades for community buildings, community biodiversity projects or green skills workshops and education.
The SSE Airtricity Generation Green Community Fund will be administered in line with a number of UN Sustainable Development Goals, aligning with SSE Airtricity’s core sustainability priorities around community, biodiversity, education and decarbonisation.
The company has a long-standing commitment of supporting its customers and community groups. In response to the global energy crisis in 2022 and 2023, SSE Airtricity established a €25 million customer support fund to help its customers.
The SSE Airtricity Generation Green Community Fund will be open to application later this year, following the initial consultation period.
To submit your views to the consultation or for more information, please visit: www.sseairtricity.com/communityfund