Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
183. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of primary and post-primary schools that have applied for a solar panel grant; the number that have successfully received a grant for a solar panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11641/22]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, which are implemented by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners and communities to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
The Communities Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme is designed to support cross-sectoral, partnership approaches that deliver energy savings to a range of building types including public, commercial and community buildings. Support is available for schools and typically, solar PV is limited to 2kW for primary schools and 4kW for secondary schools.
The call for projects for 2022 under the CEG will be launched shortly.
More information underpinning the criteria for supports for schools under the CEG is available on the Energy in Education factsheet:
www.energyineducation.ie/Energy_In_Education/Information_for_Schools/Resources_and_links/Solar%20and%20Wind%20Energy.pdf
In addition to the CEG, the Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme, co-funded with the Department of Education, provides capital supports to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise school buildings.
The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables:
Community Energy Grant Scheme
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Schools Retrofitted |
13 |
10 |
25 |
16 |
21 |
|
Solar PV Installed |
6 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
|
Schools Retrofitted |
10 |
6 |
16 |
6 |
9 |
|
Solar PV Installed |
1 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
9 (Proposed) |
The SEAI advise that the schools under the Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme for 2021 are ongoing; these involve Deep Retrofit upgrades being completed over two years and they are due to be completed this summer.
