Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
95. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the annual target completions and budget for the retrofitting plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18183/20]
View answer97. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of retrofitting an average home; the total estimated spend by the State on retrofitting each year from July 2020 until 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18185/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 97 together.
The Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets for the number and depth of residential retrofits to be completed by 2030. The targets are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. In order to hit our overall target, we will need to scale up activity to at least 56,000 B2 retrofits per year by 2025. Retrofitting has the ability to contribute to a number of important goals including - decarbonisation; warmer, more comfortable homes; and job creation and retention.
A cross-Departmental Retrofit Taskforce has been established to develop a new retrofit delivery model capable of achieving these targets and an estimate of the total cost. This process has been informed by experience from existing schemes in Ireland, consultation with stakeholders and an analysis of relevant international experience. The model is designed to address barriers to energy efficiency investments in four key areas: customer proposition and demand generation, financing and affordability, supplier capacity, and delivery structure. The Retrofit Taskforce report is to be published in October 2020.
The cost of bringing a home to a B2 or cost optimal standard is determined by a number of factors including the size and type of home as well as the starting condition of the home. However a cost-optimal analysis commissioned by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government estimated the cost to achieve a B2 rating from a starting point of a D or E rating to be in the range of €21,000-€39,000. 90% of our dwellings are estimated to have Building Energy Ratings below a B2. The Retrofit Taskforce is working to finalise an estimate of the total cost of the retrofit programme as well as a new average cost.
Achievement of these targets will be supported by the Programme for Government commitment to ring-fencing a significant portion of future carbon tax receipts for a new €5 billion socially progressive retrofit fund. As part of the July Stimulus, I have taken the decision to increase the SEAI budget by €100 million in 2021. This money will be focused on community retrofit schemes, retrofit schemes supporting those in energy poverty as well as other initiatives to support the achievement of our retrofit targets. The SEAI will be announcing the first details of the new and expanded retrofit schemes next month.
