Ms Margie McCarthy:

The national heat study published in February identified that district heating could meet up to 50% of our national heat demand. Until that point there was an assumption that the cost-effectiveness of district heating was in areas of higher heat density such as very heavily populated cities with a large number of consumers in a small area. The heat study found the effective cost would allow us to use district heating in much smaller urban areas and towns throughout the country. The climate action plan had identified a target of 2.7 TWh per year. The impetus of the heat study was mentioned a number of times in the climate action plan as a key part of informing the next steps. On the basis of what the heat study is telling us, the working group formed by the Department is looking at the various implications of rolling out district heating at pace throughout the country. These implications are regulatory and financial and there is also the planning, research and innovation that will inform district heating zones. These all feed into the group that is charged with identifying an action plan for district heating that stretches ambition in terms of the terawatt-hour over the year for district heating between now and 2030. The SEAI is feeding into this with significant mapping information. We are also about to launch feasibility studies in certain candidate areas.