Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
989. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide in tabular form and by year the total amount of grants paid out to householders under the warmer homes scheme, the better energy homes scheme, the greener homes scheme and the area and community based schemes from 2007 to date in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20166/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Better Energy Homes Scheme, Warmer Homes Scheme, and the Better Energy Areas and Communities Scheme are all administered on behalf of my Department by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the Better Energy Programme.
Better Energy Homes provides a financial incentive to private homeowners who wish to improve the energy performance of their homes. Fixed grants are provided towards the cost of a range of measures including attic insulation, wall insulation, heating systems upgrades, solar thermal panels and accompanying Building Energy Ratings (BER).
In March of this year I announced increases of between 25% and 50% in the grant levels awarded to householders under the scheme. In addition, a bonus payment has been introduced for householders that complete three or more energy efficiency improvements.
The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures to low income households who meet the defined eligibility criteria and who are vulnerable to energy poverty. Recipients of the scheme do not receive grants but have measures installed free of charge. Since the commencement of the scheme in 2000, almost 123,150 homes around the country have received energy efficiency measures under the Scheme. €15.8m has been allocated to the Scheme for 2015.
The Better Energy Areas and Communities Scheme supports sustainable energy upgrades to existing buildings and facilities in the community sector as well as clusters of homes likely to be at risk of energy poverty. The Areas and Communities scheme was amalgamated last year and €14.2 million in Exchequer funding has been allocated for 2015.
Over the period 2012-2014 the two schemes provided €46.8m in direct grant assistance. This supported 230 individual projects, resulting in the upgrade of a total of 9,644 homes, the majority of them in energy poverty.
From 2006-2011 the Greener Homes Scheme supported householders wishing to install renewable energy heating technologies, including wood pellet/chip stoves and boilers, solar panels and geothermal heat pumps. The programme facilitated the wider deployment of renewable energy heating technologies in the residential sector, and supported the development of a sustainable market, resulting in reduced dependence on fossil fuels and lower CO2 emissions.
The Home Energy Saving (HES) Scheme provided assistance to homeowners interested in improving the energy efficiency of their houses in order to reduce energy use, energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme was piloted in 2008 and fully deployed on a national basis in 2009. HES supported the installation of over 33,400 energy efficiency measures in over 18,100 homes in 2009.
A breakdown on the amount of grants awarded under the Better Energy Programme is provided in the following table (for 2015 the figure relates to spend to date).
SEAI Programme Spend 2006-2015 (to date)
|
Programme (Spend in €m) |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Greener Homes Scheme |
4.3m |
26.7 |
22.5 |
11.6 |
6.5 |
Greener Homes Scheme phased out in 2010. Home Energy Savings scheme took its place which became known as Better Energy Homes in 2011 |
Greener Homes Scheme phased out in 2010. Home Energy Savings scheme took its place which became known as Better Energy Homes in 2011 |
Greener Homes Scheme phased out in 2010. Home Energy Savings scheme took its place which became known as Better Energy Homes in 2011 |
Greener Homes Scheme phased out in 2010. Home Energy Savings scheme took its place which became known as Better Energy Homes in 2011 |
Greener Homes Scheme phased out in 2010. Home Energy Savings scheme took its place which became known as Better Energy Homes in 2011 |
|
Home Energy Savings Scheme |
n/a |
n/a |
1.5 (Pilot) |
17.9 |
47.4 |
|||||
|
Better Energy Homes |
16.3 |
45.2 |
57.6 |
28.95 |
13.16 |
9.9 |
3.3 |
|||
|
BE Warmer Homes |
12 |
30 |
21.4 |
20.5 |
17.55 |
20.7 |
0.55 |
|||
|
BE Communities |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
1.8 (Pilot) |
10.7 |
14.6 |
n/a |
|||
|
BE Communities - Area Based |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
4.1 |
6.9 |
9.05 |
n/a |
|||
|
Totals (€m) |
4.3 |
26.7 |
24 |
57.8 |
129.1 |
79 |
55.35 |
48.31 |
54.25 |
3.85 |
