Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2022
175. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated cost of installing solar photovoltaic panels on all schools as announced in budget 2023; the number of panels to be installed on each school; the timeframe for this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48609/22]
View answerThe programme of works in relation to installation of solar photovoltaic panels on school buildings, as announced in the Budget, are a matter for my colleague the Minster for Education.
More broadly, the public sector has a very strong track record in energy efficiency, as evidenced by achieving the ambitious 2020 target of a 33% energy efficiency improvement compared to an overall economy wide target of 20%. It is important that the Public Sector continues to lead by example in these challenging times.
Since 2017, the SEAI's Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme, which is co-funded with the Department of Education, has provided capital supports to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise school buildings. The programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008, as included in the National Development Plan. The Pathfinder programme has, to date, supported the retrofit of 41 schools across Ireland, with work on an additional 15 schools currently at various stages of progress.
My Department's contribution to the 2022 schools initiative is over €11 million, which will see 6 schools benefiting from a selection of energy efficiency works. The general principles and approach to school selection for the Programme include schools meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements, as well as demonstrating a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the SEAI and the Department of Education partnership initiative, Energy in Education Programme. The programme selection also seeks to enable various cross sections of school types and sizes, energy consumption profiles, different elements of construction type and different heritage/conservation requirements, where specific learnings are being targeted. Further information for schools is available on the SEAI website: www.seai.ie/community-energy/schools/save-energy-at-school/
