Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
102. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the requirement to have a minimum efficiency uplift, a requirement to achieve a B2 rating or better, prevents the achievement of cheaper and shallower measures which could deliver rapid reductions in energy use at this time of heightened energy uncertainty. [54184/22]
View answerThe Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7.9 Mt CO2 eq. in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2030. Key measures to achieve this target include retrofitting the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a BER B2/cost optimal level and installing 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.
Earlier this year, Government launched a range of enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to retrofit their homes. In addition to 100% funded retrofits for energy poor households, grant supports are available for those seeking to undertake deep retrofits as well as for homeowners that wish to take a step by step approach by installing individual or shallow measures. For example, enhanced grant rates of up to 80% of the typical cost are available for attic insulation and cavity wall insulation as well as a €700 grant available to support the installation of heating controls. These supports are available under the Better Energy Homes Scheme and no minimum uplift or requirement to achieve a B2 rating applies.
Separately, the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOS) has been in place since 2014 to help achieve our EU targets under the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The EEOS places legal requirements on large energy companies, known as ‘obligated parties’, to achieve energy savings. For the residential sector, these savings can be achieved by supporting the householder (financially or otherwise) to carry out energy upgrades on their property. A new, redesigned EEOS will commence on 1 January 2023. The scheme has been redesigned in response to amendments to the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Government’s climate priorities. While the changes introduced place a requirement on obligated parties to help homeowners to achieve a minimum uplift to achieve part of their targets, the new EEOS also continues to allow obligated parties to help those carrying out their retrofit through individual/shallow measures.
