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Irish government increases energy efficiency grants
Irish minister for energy Alex White has announced a boost in the level of grants available to householders who want to undertake energy efficiency improvements. The cash value of every grant available to householders under the Better Energy Homes Scheme has been increased by between 25 to 50%. In addition, a bonus payment has been introduced which will see householders receive bonus payments if they complete three or more energy efficiency improvements.
The new grant levels are effective immediately and will apply to everyone who has applied for a grant that has not yet been paid. The previous minimum grant threshold of €400 has been abolished and a bonus payment of €300 for householders who undertake three efficiency measures has been introduced, with an additional bonus payment of €100 available to householders who undertake four measures. The bonus payments are available to new applicants and to householders who have already availed of the scheme who wish to undertake further upgrades.
The Better Energy Homes Scheme provides grants to homeowners to undertake energy efficiency measures such as insulating walls or attics and installing new heating systems. Since the scheme was launched in 2009 more than 165,000 homes have undertaken energy efficiency upgrades with grants totalling €172m.
Under the revised scheme, a family in a semi-detached house could benefit from a grant payment of up to €4700 for external wall insulation, a boiler and heating control upgrade, and cavity and attic insulation. A couple in an apartment could receive €3400 towards internal wall insulation, a boiler and heating control upgrade and the installation of solar thermal heating.
Commenting on the launch of the revamped scheme Minister White said: “These efficiency improvements allow people to live in warmer, more comfortable homes while lowering their energy bills. For the country as a whole, they replace our dependence on imported fossil fuels with domestic jobs in the construction sector and help to meet our ambitious climate goals.
“By increasing the grant levels, I hope that more householders will be encouraged to undertake efficiency improvements and by introducing bonus payments, I hope that previous grant recipients will be encouraged to come back to the scheme and undertake more works.”
Brian Motherway, CEO of SEAI said: “Thousands of homeowners have already availed of Better Energy Homes grants and are benefitting as a result. Their positive experiences, coupled with today’s announcement of higher grants, are a real incentive for even more people to consider home energy upgrades.”
It is estimated that the Better Energy Homes scheme has supported 12,770 jobs in the construction sector since 2009 and has delivered CO2 emissions savings of 214.7kt.
For more details, see http://www.seai.ie
