Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022
225. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated number of households that will apply for the deep retrofit scheme in the new National Retrofit Scheme in each of the years 2022 to 2026; the estimated budget for the programme in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8168/22]
View answerThe Government has approved a package of supports as part of the delivery Ireland’s residential retrofit programme. These measures are aimed at making it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.
Included in these measures is the establishment of the new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, offering increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%).
This new, demand-led, scheme introduces a new way to undertake home energy upgrades with One-Stop-Shops providing an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying the home; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors to deliver the work; and, quality assuring the work.
Homes, built and occupied pre-2011, and owned by private homeowners, non-corporate landlords and Approved Housing Bodies are eligible for the scheme.
A total of €267 million (of which €202 million is carbon tax receipts and €55 million from the Energy Efficiency National Fund) has been allocated for SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes and the Solar PV scheme in 2022. The largest allocation within the 2022 financial envelope - €109m - relates to the Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme which provides free energy upgrades for homes vulnerable to energy poverty.
The new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme has a €40 million allocation in 2022 and €57 million is earmarked for 2023. This funding will deliver an additional 2,000 deep energy retrofits to B2 level with a heat pump in 2022 and an additional 3,000 in 2023. The scheme is expected to grow significantly in subsequent years with a total of €8 billion of Exchequer funding (including €5 billion in carbon tax revenues) available to support all residential upgrades to 2030 (as set out in the table below).
|
Year |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
2027 |
2028 |
2029 |
2030 |
|
Allocation (million) |
€267 |
€291 |
€380 |
€469 |
€641 |
€898 |
€1,257 |
€1,760 |
€2,000 |
