I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.
Earlier this year, the Government approved a package of significantly improved supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions.
The key measures include:
- a new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard (up from 30%-35% grants currently).
- One Stop Shops to offer a start-to-finish project management service, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades.
- In addition, the year of construction has been amended to bring the relevant SEAI schemes into alignment.
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Old Rule
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New Rule
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Fabric measures and deep retrofits
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pre 2006
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pre 2011
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Heat Pumps/Solar Thermal (as individual measures)
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pre 2011
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pre 2021
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Heat Loss Indicators determine how well insulated a home is: the lower the heat loss, the more effective the building is at preventing heat loss through the walls, windows, roof and floor. Heat pumps work most effectively in well insulated homes. When the heat loss is high, heat pumps require more electrical power and are more expensive to run.
Therefore, to avail of the heat pump grant under the Better Energy Homes scheme/One-Stop-Shop scheme, a technical or Home Energy Assessment (both of which include assessment of the Heat Loss Indicator) is required. The assessment may recommend upgrading to ensure the home achieves a B2 rating or is suitable for installation of a heat pump, or what other upgrades can be done to make it suitable. To date this year, almost 1,400 applications have been received for Home Energy Assessments under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, this overall figure includes homes completed and those in progress. In addition, under the Better Energy Homes Scheme, grant funding support has been provided for 934 Technical Assessments and these relate to homes which have also had a heat pump installed this year.
The cost of bringing an individual home to a BER B2 is determined by a number of factors including the size and type of home, the starting condition of the home and the recommendations of the Home Energy Assessment. In terms of the average grant offer, and by way of example, the most recent figures from SEAI show that, under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, the average home energy grant offer is €24,000. However, it is important to note that this average may fluctuate depending on the applications submitted to the SEAI.
To date, inflation does not appear to have dampened demand for the SEAI residential energy efficiency schemes though this will be kept under review. This will include monitoring costs and inflation on an ongoing basis and ensuring that grant rates are kept under review taking account of the overarching need to build a much bigger home upgrade sector, evolving science, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors. An independent quantity surveyor review of market costs is due to be commissioned by SEAI before the end of the year.
Figures from SEAI indicate that, to end of October:
- Almost 41,000 applications for support have been received – a 152% increase on the same period last year.
-Over 18,400 home energy upgrades have been completed – a 59% increase on the same period last year.
-Over 3,600 homes been upgraded under SEAI energy poverty schemes – a 122% increase on the same period last year.
- Almost 6,000 homes have been upgraded to a BER of B2 or better – a 79% increase on the same period last year
-Among the overall energy upgrades completed to date this year, 1,341 have included the installation of heat pumps.
My Department is working with the SEAI to build on this strong performance with a robust pipeline of activity planned for the rest of the year and into 2023.
