ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR PRODUCTS. Enterprise Ireland Support for SME s Environment and Green Technologies Department

Transcription

1 ENVIRONMENTALLY SUPERIOR PRODUCTS Enterprise Ireland Support for SME s Environment and Green Technologies Department

2 INTRODUCTION What is it? Grant support scheme for ESP projects What is it for? Aid to improving business environmental sustainability

3 INTRODUCTION What is its focus? Aimed at improving environmental / business performance of SME s What gains can be achieved? Benefits to SME s from exploiting market for ESP s

4 ESP DRIVERS Legal Drivers EU Directives: Packaging and Packaging Waste, ELV, WEEE, ROHS Market Pressures Improved Environmental Performance through Supply Chain Economic Factors Increasing Waste Disposal Costs

5 ESP DRIVERS Pressure from green Consumer Market Tesco going green Increasing importance of Product Certification initiatives Eco-labels

6 BENEFITS FROM ESP Cost savings on waste disposal Market Advantages Maintaining and developing existing, opening new, preferred supplier listing

7 ESP SCHEME ESP scheme designed to support Irish companies respond to drivers and exploit business opportunities to gain competitive advantage

8 ESP SCHEME Aim to assess ESP potential in existing or new product range by reducing environmental impact without compromising product functionality, quality, ability to manufacture or cost

9 TYPICAL ESP PROJECT Typical elements of ESP feasability assessment: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Simplified LCA conducted to identify and evaluate main environmental issues and options to make environmentally superior e.g. each stage of life cycle of product can be examined:

10 Life Cycle Assessment Raw Materials Production Distribution/Transport Consumption End of Life

11 Market Research Review of market for product identifying: Target Market: home/export Competitors & competing products Demand & customer requirements Size & value of market for product Relevance of third party recognition schemes e.g. product ecolabeling schemes

12 Technical Feasibility Proposed product changes assessed for ability to manufacture, product specification, quality and functionality Legislative / Industry Requirements Requirements of relevent legislation, industry, export market requirements Cost Assessment Proposed changes assessed in terms of associated costs or cost benefits

13 ESP CASE STUDY EXAMPLES Pilot demonstration initiative run from involving range of SME s in electronics, IT, construction, packaging, waste, furniture and timber sectors. Benefits: Commercial and environmental successes achieved. Companies found that by reducing environmental impact, product functionality improved and was often cleaner, quicker and cheaper to produce Benefits added to environmentally superior nature of product

14 ESP examples MURCO Ltd. Gas Sensors for commercial, domestic use LCA of product to investigate compliance with WEEE and ROHS Directives for components of sensors. Successfully identified changes from lead based solder, changes to enclosures etc. in order to meet legal requirements. Spring & Precision Tools Manufacture of edge tools Examination of process to replace edging process and steel raw materials with environmentally friendly alternatives and assess market potential.

15 Grant Support for ESP Scheme Grant of up to 50% up to maximum 31,740, ex VAT Eligible expenditure: - Salary/wages for staff engaged in study - Fees to technical advisers consulted during study - Travel / Subsistence costs - Materials / Prototype related expenses Contact: Declan White, Environment & Green Technologies Dept. declan.white@enterprise-ireland.com Phone: Website: or /esp

16 New Funding Scheme: Plans for new Environmental Sustainability Grant to replace existing. Incorporating integrated approach to environmental issues at business level. Maintain existing support for ESP and EMS with increased funds. Include new support for assessment of energy efficiency, carbon footprinting, eco-design, eco-labelling and other perceived environmental improvements Suggestions from clients on where other supports could be targeted?