Written Answers Nos. 126-145
126. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 138, 139, 140, 143 and 144 of 13 July 2023, the duration of the period of verification for the revenue collected on the cap on market revenues and temporary solidarity contribution; if he expects that this will delay the distribution of proceeds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36847/23]
View answerThe periods for verification of the revenue collected via the cap on market revenues and the temporary solidarity contribution are matters for the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities and the Revenue Commissioners.
The specific measure or measures for which the proceeds from the cap on market revenues will be used, shall be prescribed by the Minister (with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform) in accordance with Article 10 of the Council Regulation and be disbursed during 2024.
The specific measure or measures for which the proceeds from the temporary solidarity contribution will be used, will be agreed by Government in the context of Budget 2024 and the proceeds distributed thereafter.
127. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 141, 142, 145, 154 and 156 of 13 July 2023, if he will rule out the distribution of proceeds from the cap on market revenues and temporary solidarity contribution to provide subsidies to large energy users; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36848/23]
View answerThe proceeds collected by the cap on market revenues and temporary solidarity contribution are required to be distributed in accordance with Article 10 and Article 17 respectively of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices. The specific measure or measures for which the proceeds from the cap on market revenues and temporary solidarity contribution will be agreed by Government in the context of Budget 2024, which will take place in the coming months and the proceeds distributed thereafter.
128. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the draft Bill on the cap on market revenues will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36849/23]
View answerIt is intended to publish the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023 shortly, subject to approval by Government.
129. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will report on the industry stakeholder event as part of development of the Energy Storage Policy Framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36850/23]
View answerUnder the Climate Action Plan 2023, my Department has committed to developing an Electricity Storage Policy Framework by Q3 2023. To help inform the development of the final framework, my Department held a public consultation which closed on 27 January 2023.
As part of the consultation process, my Department also ran an industry stakeholder event to further discuss the key issues/questions raised within the consultation. The event took place in Dublin Castle on 19 January. Stakeholders included representatives from the Irish Energy Storage Association, Energy Storage Ireland, the Demand Response Association of Ireland, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, EirGrid, ESB Networks, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
130. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the draft updated National Environment and Climate Plan was submitted by the 30 June 2023 deadline, in line with article 14 of the EU Governance Regulation; if not, when he plans to submit the draft NCEP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36854/23]
View answerMy Department is responsible for the cross-Government coordination and development of the National Energy and Climate Plan with the first NECP being developed and submitted to the European Commission in 2020.
Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 states that each Member State must finalise its latest notified integrated NECP by June 2024 with a draft submitted in 2023 to allow the Commission adequate time to analyse the draft Plan.
Since the publication of the 2018 Regulation, new climate and energy regulations and targets have been introduced, which have dramatically changed the scope of the NECP. Many of these changes in targets have been as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine which caused an energy crisis across the EU and a subsequent EU-wide effort to accelerate the roll-out of renewable energy supply. For example, the Renewable Energy Directive was reviewed to increase the renewable energy target from 32 to 40%, and on 30 March 2023 a new provisional agreement was reached, increasing the target to a minimum of 42.5%, but aiming for 45%, by 2030. The Energy Efficiency Directive Recast (EED recast) has recently been agreed and similarly will impact the content of the NECP.
Preparing the NECP is a complex exercise involving multiple Departments and Agencies. At this stage the Department is putting in place the necessary tools and governance arrangements to ensure all the required data is gathered in an accurate and timely manner. The Department aims to deliver the draft as close to the timelines set in the Regulation as practicable, but with the pace of change of energy targets, meeting these deadlines will be challenging for all EU Member States. We are aiming to publish a draft NECP by Q4 of this year.
132. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the commitments made by Ireland under the remit of his Department at COP26 and COP27, respectively; the progress made to date on actioning those, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36883/23]
View answerThe Government is actively involved in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is the primary multilateral process for driving international action on climate change.
At COP26 and at COP27, we made a number of commitments, for implementation by the Department of Foreign Affair, which contribute to the global effort to address climate change. These commitments specifically aim to support and fund vulnerable developing countries to address the impacts of climate change and to protect the marine environment. All have been met, as set out below.
|
Commitment |
Progress |
|
COP26, Glasgow, 2021 |
|
|
Because the Ocean Declaration, committing Ireland’s support for climate adaptation and mitigation in the ocean. |
In line with Ireland’s commitment to this Declaration, the Department of Foreign Affairs has increased its support for climate adaptation and mitigation in the ocean. |
|
€1 million to the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility to support Caribbean populations living and earning their livelihoods from the Ocean in the direct aftermath of a disaster. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2021. |
|
€700,000 to the World Bank PROBLUE Trust Fund which supports the sustainable and integrated development of marine and coastal resources in developing countries. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2022 and reflects Ireland’s progress under its commitment to the Because the Ocean Declaration. |
|
€400,000 for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for livelihood development for the coastal community in Tanga-Pemba seascape in Tanzania. This will be delivered in partnership with Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association and Ocean Hub Africa and will also support the conservation of coastal and marine biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of the Great Blue Wall Initiative. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2021 and reflects Ireland’s progress under its commitment to the Because the Ocean Declaration. |
|
€1 million to the National Adaptation Plan Global Network to support national-level adaptation in developing countries. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2021. |
|
€2.5 million to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), to support adaptation activities in some of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2021. |
|
COP27, Sharm el-Sheikh, 2022 |
|
|
Ireland re-affirmed its pledge of €4 million between 2022-2025 to the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), which aims to improve the capacity of vulnerable countries to predict and adapt to climate change and extreme weather events. |
Ireland’s first payment of €1.2 million to the SOFF was made in 2022 and Ireland is an active member of SOFF’s Steering Committee. |
|
€1 million to the Special Climate Change Fund to support adaptation action in Small Island Developing States. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2022. |
|
€2 million to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), to support adaptation activities in some of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2022. |
|
€2 million to the African Development Bank for activities supporting adaptation in African countries. |
This financial commitment was disbursed in 2022. Through its membership of the African Development Bank, Ireland engages in the policy and programming of the Bank. |
133. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the projected spend by the SEAI in 2023 on the solar electricity grant; how much was budgeted for this scheme in 2023; the spend in 2022; how many projects were supported; how much is expected to be available in 2024; how many installations are projected in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36884/23]
View answer134. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the projected cost of increasing the SEAI solar grant to a maximum of €4,800, or €5,000, and doubling the number of installations; if any analysis has been carried out on the capacity to cap the grant for those earning up to a specific income point; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36885/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together.
The Solar PV grant under the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and is open to houses built prior to 2021. The scheme came into operation in February 2022 and built on the success of the previous pilot version of the grant scheme.
Since 2018, the SEAI has supported the installation of domestic Solar PV systems for almost 27,800 homes, with demand for the domestic Solar PV grant increasing significantly throughout 2022. In 2022, the SEAI received 16,819 applications to the Domestic Solar PV programme, which resulted in grant support for 10,017 homes, at a cost of €24.4m and a total installed capacity of 46.5 MW. This indicates an average installation size of 4.6kW. This is a substantial increase on the numbers from 2021 when 4,077 homes were supported, and 16.3 MW installed.
The MSS was allocated €29.4m in Budget 2023 and as of the end of June, 8,889 applications have been supported. With such continued strong levels of demand seen since the start of this year, in conjunction with Government's decision to reduce the rate of VAT on the supply and installation of solar panels to 0%, it is expected that application levels will exceed initial projections. Eligibility is not related to income thresholds, to ensure the broadest possible dispersal of grant supports.
Projected expenditure for 2024 cannot be confirmed until later in 2023. The MSS is also currently undergoing a planned review, in order to ensure maximum efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme for the next number of years.
Based on the 2023 figures to date, the average grant is currently amounting to approximately €2,340, with the average system size installed being approximately 5 kWp.
If the maximum available grants were doubled from €2,400 to €4,800, and using the projected application numbers for 2023 as assumed take up, it is estimated that the scheme costs would increase by approximately €50m in 2023. Of course if the number of applicant varied in response to the doubling of the grant, the cost would also vary.
Given the scheme is a demand lead scheme, the number of applications and cost will always ultimately be determined by the normal market forces of consumer demand and the available supply chain response.
135. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the additional funding provided in Budget 2023 for climate measures and the progress on the implementation of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36886/23]
View answer136. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the total funding provided for retrofitting in 2022 and to date in 2023 and projected end year outturn; the breakdown of allocations to the SEAI in 2022 and 2023; how many homes have been retrofitted to date; how many are expected to be done in the full year, broken down by funding stream; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36887/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.
The 2023 Budget allocation for climate related programmes under the remit of my Department is published in the 2023 Revised Estimates Volume in Appendix 8 and is set out in the Table below. For 2023, there is an increase in funding of just over €316 million over the budget allocation for 2022, which equates to 92%.
Details on the progress on the implementation of those measures that are allocated additional funding is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
|
Programme/Scheme |
Subhead |
2022 €,000 |
2023 €,000 |
% Change |
|
Environmental Protection Agency - Admin expenses |
A.3 |
41,619 |
43,761 |
5% |
|
Environmental and Climate Research |
A.4 |
14,300 |
17,250 |
21% |
|
Carbon Fund |
A.5 |
4,500 |
2,905 |
-35% |
|
International Climate Change Commitments |
A.6 |
15,000 |
26,500 |
77% |
|
Climate Initiatives |
A.7 |
11,077 |
10,931 |
-1% |
|
Just Transition Fund (IE & EU) |
A.8 |
34,000 |
12,420 |
-63% |
|
Shared Island Fund |
A.9 |
|
1,800 |
n/a |
|
SEI Admin and General Expenses |
B.3 |
21,475 |
27,971 |
30% |
|
Residential/Community Retrofit Programmes |
B.4 |
94,952 |
355,265 |
274% |
|
Other Energy Efficiency Programmes |
B.5 |
46,065 |
82,765 |
80% |
|
Energy Research Programmes |
B.7 |
25,010 |
30,350 |
21% |
|
Regulation of District Heating |
B.14 |
|
689 |
n/a |
|
Residential Retrofit Loan Guarantee Scheme |
B.15 |
|
4,780 |
n/a |
|
Waste Management Programmes |
C.6 |
37,010 |
42,890 |
16% |
|
Environmental Sustainability |
C.8 |
|
500 |
n/a |
|
Total |
|
345,008 |
660,777 |
92% |
137. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will clarify matters in relation to the SEAI fully-funded energy upgrades formerly the warmer homes scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36975/23]
View answerThe Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. Since the start of the scheme in 2000, over 150,000 free upgrades have been supported by the scheme. There are a number of home energy improvements offered as part of the Scheme.
The scheme seeks to reduce the amount of energy a household needs by reducing heat loss through the installation of insulation and ventilation in the first instance, before moving to replacing heating systems where required under Building Regulations. This is in line with the fabric first/energy efficiency first principle and best practice.
The upgrades that will be recommended for a property will depend on many factors, including age, size, type and condition of the property. For each eligible home, SEAI’s technical surveyor will determine which upgrades can be installed and funded.
Information in relation to the numbers of window and door replacements provided through the programme are not routinely supplied by SEAI to the Department. These measures are only provided as a secondary measure in certain, limited, circumstances as part of a deeper upgrade to a home. This is usually only in cases where single glazing exists in a property and where the programme is also upgrading the walls, or, in the case of door replacements, where a home is part of the ongoing pilot within the scheme to upgrade more homes to a BER B2 and install heat pumps.
It should be noted that the scheme has been delivering a greater volume of deeper and more complex upgrades in recent years. This is reflected in the average cost of upgrades which have increased from €2,600 in 2015 to €24,000 in 2023.
138. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number and type of applications received by his Department under the Petroleum And Other Minerals Development Act 1960 for authorisations from existing licence holders for retention or renewal or the next stage progression of their licence in relation to petroleum exploration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36976/23]
View answerInformation on all petroleum authorisations is updated and published on a quarterly basis on gov.ie (www.gov.ie/en/publication/10d43-acreage-reports-and-concession-maps/). The most recent such report was published in respect of the three month period ending 30 June 2023
In addition, Section 57 of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 requires that I lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas every six months a report detailing all petroleum authorisations extant and granted during the period of the report. The last such report laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas was in respect of the six-month period ending 30 June 2023.
139. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the energy consumption of large energy users per annum for the past three years in megawatt hours, in tabular form. [36992/23]
View answerSystem operators regularly review and publish forecasted demand, including aggregated sector specific demand.
Further details on the energy consumption, both historical and forecasted, of data centres and new tech loads, can be found in figure 2.5 in EirGrid's Generation Capacity Statement here.
Data Centres are typically classified as extra-large energy users. Their current and future demand, like that of all sectors of the economy, is considered in power system planning and projections as routine.
The Government approach to aligning enterprise and energy objectives for this cohort of businesses was outlined in the Government Statement on Data Centres in July 2022.
Under EU law, Member States have an obligation to preserve the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information. As such, specific detailed information on energy usage for a particular sector cannot be disclosed.
140. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how many SEAI heating control grants were awarded in 2022, in Q1 2023 and in Q2 2023; the average amount per grant in 2022, in Q1 2023 and in Q2 2023, in tabular form. [37065/23]
View answer141. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the cost of doubling the funding available for heating control grants. [37066/23]
View answer143. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the average cost to install a smart heating control in 2022, in Q1 2023 and in Q2 2023, in tabular form. [37108/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 140, 141 and 143 together.
The installation of fully integrated heating controls is one of the energy efficiency measures supported under the SEAI administered grant schemes. Heating controls are an excellent way to control a household's energy usage and improve comfort. A fixed grant of €700 is available towards the cost of installing heating controls. This is available under all of the part-funded residential retrofit schemes. Heating controls can also be installed as part of a wider retrofit under the fully funded Warmer Homes scheme.
There is no ring-fenced budget allocation for heating control measures. Budget 2023 has allocated €356 million in total for residential and community retrofit schemes.
The majority of grants for heating controls are paid out under the Better Energy Homes (BEH) scheme. The BEH scheme provides individual grants for a range of measures, allowing homeowners to take a step-by-step approach to their retrofit. The scheme has a budget of €48.5 million this year.
In relation to the figures sought by the Deputy:
• Under the Better Energy Homes scheme in 2022, approximately 1,600 grants for heating controls were paid out at a cost of €1.15 million. On the basis of this level of grant payments, a doubling of the fixed grant from €700 to €1,400 would have brought to €2.3 million the amount paid out of the Better Energy Homes scheme allocation in 2022.
• Under the Better Energy Homes scheme to end June 2023, 635 grants for heating controls were paid out at a cost of just over €444,000. On the basis of this level of grant payments, a doubling of the fixed grant from €700 to €1,400 would have brought to €888,000 the amount paid out of the Better Energy Homes scheme in the first half of 2023.
Heating controls are also installed as part of more extensive upgrade projects under the One Stop Shop, Community Energy Grant and Warmer Homes schemes. Details on the number of installations of heating controls under those schemes is not routinely collated by SEAI and are not included in the figures mentioned above.
The information sought in relation to the average costs to fully integrated heating controls is set out in the table below. It should be noted that these costs are based on the declared cost of works from the homeowner and derived from grant applications where the only measure being grant funded were heating controls. The amount of €700 paid out per grant-aided heating control upgrade by SEAI is fixed irrespective of the costs declared.
|
Year (Quarter) |
Fully integrated Heating Control upgrades funded under Better Energy Homes Scheme |
Average total cost of works declared by the homeowner |
|
2022 |
1,600 |
€4,099 |
|
2023 (Q1) |
344 |
€4,194 |
|
2023 (Q2) |
291 |
€4,600 |
Source: SEAI
142. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the number of grants awarded to owner/occupiers; renters; landlords and holiday homes in Q1 2023 and in Q2 2023, in tabular form. [37067/23]
View answerThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has a number of schemes in place to support homeowners to upgrade their properties including the fully funded Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme and part-funded schemes, namely, the Better Energy Homes Scheme, Community Energy Grant Scheme, Solar PV Scheme and the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS). This allows homeowners to choose the best home upgrade option to suit their particular needs. Figures for the first half of 2023 show that 21,727 homes have been upgraded under the schemes.
Apart from the Warmer Homes scheme, which is only available to owner-occupiers, these schemes are available to landlords and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to improve the efficiency of their rental properties. SEAI does not hold information which classifies grant recipients as landlords or holiday homes.
151 AHB homes were retrofitted under the SEAI’s NHEUS/One Stop Shop Service in Q1 2023. Figures in relation to AHB homes completed in Q2 2023 will be available shortly.
I recognise that rental properties can present a specific challenge for energy efficiency improvements. This is an issue found in most countries where the incentives to invest in energy upgrades can be misaligned between landlords and tenants. The Government’s Housing for All Plan commits to the introduction of a minimum BER for private rental properties, where feasible, from 2025, and to develop a roadmap to implement these standards.
In addition to the supports mentioned above which are available from SEAI, a tax incentive is now in place to encourage small-scale landlords to undertake retrofitting works while the tenant remains in situ. This measure provides for a tax deduction of up to €10,000 per property, against Case V rental income, for certain retrofitting expenses incurred by the landlord on rented residential properties, for a maximum of two rental properties. Full details are set out in Section 32 of the Finance Act 2022.
It should also be noted that the Housing for All plan commits to the retrofitting of 36,500 local authority homes by 2030 as part of the achievement of the Climate Action Plan retrofit targets.
145. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when he expects the distribution of proceeds from the temporary solidarity contribution will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37119/23]
View answerThe temporary solidarity contribution for 2022 is required to be paid by 23 September 2023 to the Revenue Commissioners. The specific measure or measures for which the proceeds from the temporary solidarity contribution will be agreed by Government in the context of Budget 2024 and the proceeds distributed thereafter.
