Community Enabling Framework

The framework provides end-to-end support to create a community energy sector in Ireland.

About the Community Enabling Framework

The Community Enabling Framework is a suite of complementary resources to support communities to develop their own projects.

Information hub

SEAI has developed a number of useful resources and guides that are the first reference point for any community group. This toolkit of guides contains information on grid connection, the planning process, solar PV, the planning process, onshore wind, the electricity system, financing projects, community groups and governance, stakeholder and community engagement and business planning and procurement.

Trusted advisors

Our specialist technical experts are there to guide you on every step of your development journey, from forming a community group, through to site identification, feasibility studies, designing a project, making grid and planning applications.

Financial support

SEAI are here to help with grants for early, mid and late-stage development costs to help projects realise their ambitions. Grants are available to support project design and planning, grid connection, submission costs and advice for project financing.

How does the framework work?

Step 1.

Read through our Community Energy Resource Toolkit below to find out if grid scale community energy generation is right for you.

Step 2.

Fill out our form to apply for community enabling supports to get matched with a trusted advisor.

Step 3.

Enter the feasibility stage, where an SEAI appointed Trusted Advisor will carry out an initial feasibility study on your project. If the project is successful in the initial feasibility study, it will progress to a high level feasibility study and finally a detailed feasibility study.

Step 4.

Find out if your project is eligible to avail of grant funding under the Community Enabling Framework.

Community Energy Resource Toolkit

One element of the framework is the development of the Energy Resource Toolkit. This provides a suite of practical guidance modules across a number of different areas (including technology options, business planning, project development stages, setting up an organisation / governance strategy) to support project development and delivery of a project.

The toolkit has been designed with similarities to the well-known Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) toolkit which was developed by Local Energy Scotland to support community and local energy projects across Scotland. These resources have been examined and adapted to an Irish context for supporting the development of Community projects.

The nine modules of this Toolkit are available to view and download below.

Our Solar PV, Onshore Wind and Planning Process modules have recently been updated, with an updated version of Grid Connection coming soon.