Featured photo: Pictured at NWEA project launch in the County House, Lifford are front row (l-r) Donal Breen, Chairman of the NWEA Board; Michael McGarvey, Director of Services, Water and Environment, Donegal County Council; John G. McLaughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council; Assen Gasharov, Senior Expert Dept. European Investment Bank; Richard Gibson, Director of Finance, Donegal County Council; Back row (l-r) Con McLaughlin, Senior Engineer Project Manager, Donegal County Council; Joanne Holmes, NWEA; Aidan McGrenra, NWEA; Hugh Trearty, NWEA; Hollie McLaughlin, NWEA; Kevin Kelly, Michelle McDaid, NWEA. Photo by Gerard McHugh Photography
Funding of €2.66m has been allocated for a ‘Donegal Retrofit Mission’ project to boost the establishment of an Energy Agency for the North West.
Donegal County Council and the North West Energy Agency are delighted to secure Project Development Services financing through the ELENA Facility under the InvestEU Advisory Hub.
The ‘North West Energy Agency’ (NWEA) was established by Donegal County Council to support homeowners, businesses and communities to implement building energy efficiency improvements throughout Donegal.
The Council, through this relatively new Energy Agency has attracted funding for a new project called the Donegal Retrofit Mission which will allow the NWEA to scale up delivery of works over the next three to five year period.
The NWEA service in summary:
The NWEA aims to develop Area Based Retrofitting services, in peripheral areas like the North West which is currently underserved by other one-stop-shops. In summary, the NWEA will help with the following, with a focus on both domestic and non-domestic properties.
Retrofit of buildings (domestic and non-domestic);
Renewable heating systems (domestic and non-domestic);
Solar PV (domestic and non-domestic);
Specifically, how will the NWEA help home and businesses with energy efficiency improvements?
The NWEA will provide independent information to homeowners / business owners on how to make their homes and buildings more energy efficient, for instance – the type of works that may be required, funding options including SEAI grants and low-interest loans and how these Energy efficiency improvements could be delivered.
‘Donegal Retrofit Mission’ funding will focus on the following:
The ‘Donegal Retrofit Mission’ funding will be administered in conjunction with the European Investment Bank, through the ELENA Facility under the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and will support the following elements:
Additional staff – the project will support the employment of four additional staff into the NWEA who will be tasked with delivering an ambitious programme of work;
Energy Audits of properties – the NWEA will deploy registered auditors to carry out Building Energy Ratings (BER) for selected properties, which will provide property owners with an outline of current energy performance and recommended retrofit measures;
Analyses of existing BER data – an anonymized BER database will be used to identify concentrations of properties which meet agreed criteria. The project will also support the use of user friendly retrofit reports to assist homeowner, property owners, lenders or third parties and contractors with details of specific works required, their cost, savings expected (including financial and carbon emissions).
Marketing and Communications – the project will support increased marketing opportunities, including public events; media campaigns; development of website and social media, webinars and such.
What’s ahead on this NWEA journey for 2025 – 2028?
The NWEA has ambitious plans to scale-up rollout of supporting measures over the coming years for retrofit of buildings and adding renewable heating and solar options.
The NWEA will be keen to work with homeowners, business owners and owners of community buildings over the coming years who are ready to embark on their building energy efficiency improvement works.
Watch: Hear from Suzanne Bogan who recently completed her home energy upgrade with the NWEA:
€2.66M announced for retrofit mission across Donegal was last modified: September 8th, 2025 by Contributor
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