The fifth meeting of the Irish Stakeholders Group for the SME POWER project was held virtually on 31st January 2022, serving as an opportunity to update stakeholders and SEAI as Managing Authority on the progress with SME POWER. SME POWER is an international project funded by the Interreg Europe Programme and runs from August 2019 to July 2023. The overall aim of SME POWER is to ensure that public policy for the low carbon economy is better adapted to the needs of non-energy intensive SMEs, thus enabling them to be a key driver in the low carbon shift at European Level. Hosted by WestBIC, attendees at the 5th SME POWER Irish Stakeholder Meeting included John Flynn, Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland; Alma Gallagher, Clár ICH; Seamus McCormack and Niamh Considine, WestBIC.
Seamus McCormack provided an update on Staff Exchanges, informing stakeholders that the week of 28th February is to be kept available for a Staff Exchange to Durham. He explained that the first action of the regional SME POWER Action Plan is to be piloted with Clár ICH, John and Alma to arrange logistics and look into arranging a roadshow this April across the counties of Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and Roscommon, potentially over a period of two weeks. The Irish Draft Action Plan has been submitted and the project team at WestBIC is currently waiting to receive feedback. On the matter of capacity building, Seamus McCormack presented that a dedicated questionnaire will need to be completed by personnel who have experience with the SME POWER project and how it has benefited them and improved their knowledge of the sector.
For further information:
Seamus McCormack, WestBIC at: [email protected]
Or follow the project on social media: @sme_power
