LEAP – Local Energy Agencies for Peripheral Regions

Project Summary

This project proposes to create 3 Local Energy Agencies in the North and West of Ireland to support “integrated home renovation services”. Our target region includes counties Donegal, Leitrim & Sligo west county Galway. The significant challenges of meeting our climate action targets, combined with the increasing cost of heating our homes, are often exacerbated in peripheral regions. Particular factors include dispersed and older homes, a high reliance on oil and solid fuels and a fragmented supply chain.

One of the key Climate Action targets in Ireland is the energy retrofitting of homes. While government supports are improving, the main investors in reaching this target are the homeowners themselves. Therefore, it is crucial that this investment decision is made as clear and straightforward as possible. The Local Energy Agencies will help homeowners to understand the best options for them in terms of upgrades, support routes and supply of home renovation services. In addition to this, the Local Energy Agencies will work with the local supply chain of building energy assessors, retrofit contractors and installers to work toward partnerships for a more cohesive supply of home renovation services. This will help us to optimise the benefits of the project by increasing employment within the region.

Our aim is to build momentum in home retrofitting in our region, working with both the homeowners and supply chain to create a continuous pipeline of neighbourhood-based projects. All homeowners should have the opportunity to invest in making their homes warmer, healthier, cheaper to heat and more valuable.

The proposed LEAP project will establish a multi-initiative approach to developing using the strategy outlined below.

Project structure

The project is supported by a Steering Committee which includes representation from the Atlantic Technological University with support of Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal & Galway County Councils, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Aran Island Energy Co-op.

The LEAP partners, led by ATU, are being supported by the European Union, through the EU LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme, for a 3-year pilot phase to establish 3 Local Energy Agencies and develop a pipeline of area-base home retrofitting projects. The project partners have already committed considerable resources to this project and have agreed to ambitious targets to support our region through the decade.