Ireland and Northern Ireland launch sustainability funds

A €26 million Shared Island Sustainability Challenge Fund has been launched to support industrial manufacturers in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The initiative aims to accelerate decarbonisation, innovation, and competitiveness across the island. The fund is split equally, with €13 million allocated for projects in Ireland and €13 million for projects in Northern Ireland.

Delivered through a partnership between Enterprise Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, and InterTradeIreland, the fund targets collaborative innovation in areas such as flexible industrial electrification, hard-to-abate climate technologies, water efficiency, and circularity. The goal is to reduce carbon emissions while enhancing productivity and long-term resilience in manufacturing.

In a related effort to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, the Department for the Economy and Invest Northern Ireland have introduced the Net Zero Accelerator. This scheme seeks to identify projects in Northern Ireland focused on industrial decarbonisation, renewable energy integration, and energy storage. The information gathered is intended to help policymakers understand the barriers and opportunities facing organizations to better inform future support mechanisms and policy design.