Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 March 2015
287. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the various non-fossil fuel alternatives currently available or likely to become available in respect of home heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11048/15]
View answerThe 2009 EU Renewable Energy Directive set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to meeting 40% of electricity demand from renewable sources, with 10% for transport and 12% for heat. In 2013, 5.7% of heat demand was met by energy from renewable sources.
There are a number of renewable heat technologies available in the domestic heat sector, including biomass boilers, electric heaters, air and ground source heat pumps and solar heating.
The most significant support for domestic heating is Part L of the Building Regulations which introduce requirements regarding conservation of fuel and energy for new dwellings. Planned reviews of these regulations, for buildings other than dwellings, to achieve Nearly Zero Energy Buildings status, are also expected to result in increasing the uptake of renewable heat from a range of sources. In addition, the Better Energy Homes scheme, operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), provides supports to homeowners for energy efficiency measures including the installation of solar heating.
Furthermore, the European Union (Energy Efficiency) Regulations, 2014 set out a range of requirements for the promotion of energy efficiency, including a requirement for the SEAI to undertake an assessment of the potential for the application of cost beneficial district heating and Combined Heat and Power in Ireland. The development of biomass-fuelled CHP and district heating, as well as improving energy efficiency, has the potential to contribute to our renewable energy targets. The comprehensive assessment is expected to be completed this year.
