Jack Chambers
Ceist:785. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the work to date in 2020 of the retrofit task force. [10660/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 16 June 2020
Ceisteanna (785)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government’s Climate Action Plan has set an ambitious target to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2 (or cost optimal equivalent), and to install 400,000 heat pumps to replace existing heating systems by 2030. A new area based approach to retrofitting is being developed, with homes being grouped together to reduce cost. Work is also underway on the development of smart financing and easy pay back mechanisms. Achievement of these targets will be supported by the financial allocation under Project Ireland 2040 of EUR 3.7 billion, and a range of other measures identified in the Climate Action Plan.
A cross-Departmental Retrofit Taskforce has been established to develop a new retrofit delivery model capable of achieving the targets mentioned above. In 2020, the Retrofit Taskforce and its two technical subgroups have met on a number of occasions and have been working to formulate the new model. This process has been informed by a consultation with stakeholders and a thorough analysis of international experience with similar programmes. The model is designed to address barriers to energy efficiency investments in four key areas: customer proposition and demand generation, financing and affordability, supplier capacity, and delivery structure. The Taskforce is also working to determine the estimated cost of achieving our retrofit targets as well as considering the role that retrofit could play in future economic recovery efforts.
The Retrofit Taskforce report is to be published in Q3 2020, in line with the Climate Action Plan commitment.