Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
99. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has made any changes in the schemes of support for energy efficiency measures and solar installations by households; and the schemes which will be available during 2022. [47552/21]
View answerThe Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 or cost optimal and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing buildings over the next 10 years. A new National Retrofit Plan will be published in quarter 4 of this year. The plan is designed to address barriers to energy efficiency investments in four key areas: customer proposition and demand generation, financing and affordability, supplier capacity, and governance.
SEAI grant schemes will be a central element of the Government's approach to achieving our retrofit targets. It is intended to launch a new National Retrofit Scheme focused on achieving B2 retrofits later this year. The existing SEAI grant schemes will be aligned with the National Retrofit Scheme as appropriate.
Some €221.5 million in capital funding has been provided this year for SEAI residential and community retrofit programmes, including the Solar PV scheme and the Building Energy Rating programme. This represents an 82% increase on the 2020 allocation and is the largest amount ever for the schemes.
Of the overall capital allocation for 2021, €48.9 million has been spent as of 16 September. It is important to note that extensive COVID-19 related restrictions on construction activity between January and mid-April had a significant impact on activity this year. Output has also been negatively impacted by challenges associated with availability and longer lead times for materials. Every effort is being made to maximise output now that construction activity in the residential sector has recommenced.
The schemes which will be available during 2022 and the overall allocations will be finalised as part of the annual Estimates process.
