asked the Minister for Energy if any grant is available towards the cost of installing solar panels in private residences; and, if not, if he will introduce such a grant scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Solar Panels.
44.
There are no funds at the disposal of my Department or, so far as I know available from other sources, out of which grants could be made for installing solar panels in private residences.
One of the priority objectives which I have set for my Department is to ensure a concerned approach, by those best qualified to do so, towards assessing the potential in Irish conditions of solar and other renewable sources of energy. The Institute for Industrial Research and Standards have carried out a technical and economic study of the potential use of solar energy for the provision of space heating and hot water for dwellings and further work is being done. The Electricity Supply Board are at present carrying out a study of the practical problems involved and the optimum methods of control in the use of solar energy. Other research in this field is also in progress.
Even if, as I anticipate, assistance from EEC sources may be available for research and development work on renewable energy sources, the total funds available for those purposes will obviously be limited. It is only prudent and sensible to have an assessment and comparisons done of the value of these various sources as a means of meeting energy needs in Irish circumstances. I, therefore, think it would be premature to conclude at this stage that the use of solar panels has such technical and economic advantages that their installation should receive priority in terms of funding. I think the Deputy is aware that, leaving technical issues aside, there are economic factors involved which at the present stage of development would confirm my reluctance to afford these appliances such priority on the generalised basis which he appears to envisage.
Of course, we realise that not only solar panels but also many other of the more trendy forms of alternative are not yet economic, but the economics of the thing change with every twist of the oil screw.
I agree.
I am, naturally, not urging the Minister to throw money away on something which is at the moment uneconomic. However, would he assure the House that, in the event of there emerging a device suitable to the kind of solar infusion or installation or whatever it is called here, he would be favourably disposed towards providing financial incentives for people who want to install them in their houses. Assuming budgetary constriction as there is at the moment, of course, would he be favourably disposed towards providing incentives of this kind?
The Deputy can rest assured that, firstly, I am very anxious to encourage research into alternative sources of energy that can be used in Irish conditions and, secondly, that in so far as that research reveals practical possibilities, whether in the form of solar panels or otherwise, I would be very anxious to encourage the use of practical results so as to benefit us by reducing dependence on imported energy.
What form of encouragement would be necessary, whether it would take the form of grants or otherwise is another matter that I would have to consider at a later stage. I would not be prepared at this stage to commit myself to grants in relation to solar panels, but the Deputy will find that my attitude in this regard is on the same wavelength as his own. I want to encourage anything we can do to reduce our dependence on imported energy.
A final supplementary. It is just on time.
I fully accept the Minister's wish to try to develop any alternative renewable energy sources. Might I ask whether he has given any further thought to conservation, which is the real problem. The conservation of the energy we use is something we can do something about. Has he given his mind to this aspect, about which I asked some considerable time ago?
I know that the Deputy is obliged to spend a good deal of his time out of the country and he may, therefore, have missed the fact that within the past week I announced details of a programme which I am launching to try to encourage conservation.
Has the Minister any details?
Not at the moment.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper.