I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 together.
The National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) sets out 90 actions that Government is either already taking or will take in the period to 2020 to achieve the national energy efficiency targets of 20% across the economy and 33% in the public sector. The savings identified in the Action Plan represent approximately €1.6 billion in avoided energy costs for the economy in 2020. The second Action Plan, approved by Government this week, provides a progress report on delivery of the national energy efficiency objectives and shows that Ireland is on track to deliver the 20% energy savings target by 2020. The Plan will also set out a range of energy saving actions in the public sector, which will be prioritised between now and 2020.
The public sector is estimated to spend more than €500 million per annum on energy. Achieving the 33% savings target for the public sector would save €150 million each year in expenditure. This Government remains firmly committed to meeting this target. In order to underpin delivery of the national energy savings target, my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is working together to establish a comprehensive monitoring and reporting system whereby all energy usage in the Public Sector will be accounted for and progress will be systematically recorded. I recently wrote to the head of each of the public bodies, reminding them of their obligation to report annually their energy usage to SEAI. Enclosed with each letter was the SEAI report: ‘Energy Use in the Public Sector’, which outlines savings achieved to date across the public sector to end-2010 amount to 650 GWh.
This year SEAI has targeted the top 135 public bodies, which account for over 95% of public sector energy consumption. These organisations will submit detailed energy and activity data to SEAI. From this data detailed progress scorecards will be produced for each organisation. From 2013 on, an SEAI online energy data system will facilitate all public bodies and schools to report detailed energy data and allow SEAI to prepare detailed scorecards for all public bodies.
Since 2009, my Department through SEAI has supported over 140 public sector retrofit projects. This year the Better Energy Workplaces 2012 Fund has offered support to 145 projects – 44 of which are in the public sector. This scheme has developed public sector and market competence and capacity for pay-as-you-save type models. I recently approved the formation of an action group to develop a framework for energy performance contracting, which will stimulate mass scale retrofitting projects across the public sector. This has been complemented by the Government decision to require all public sector bodies to go out to the market for energy services if their energy spend is more than €500,000 per year. The energy performance contracting framework will allow public bodies to implement projects whilst, most importantly, not relying on additional public expenditure to do so, thus not impacting on their capital budgets whilst also reducing their operating costs.
Through all of the measures outlined including NEEAP, comprehensive monitoring and reporting of energy use in the public sector, Better Energy Workplaces and the energy performance contracting framework, the exemplary role of the public sector will stimulate investment in energy efficient technologies and the development of a market for energy services and products.
