Written answers

Wednesday, 7 February 2007

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Energy Resources

9:00 pm

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if there are plans to introduce grants for the installation of renewable energy systems in the industrial sector. [4304/07]

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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On 7 June 2006 I launched the Bioheat Programme which is a grant aid scheme for commercial renewable heat technologies. The scheme allows companies and small businesses to obtain grants for the installation of wood chip and wood pellet boilers in large buildings and commercial premises. Grant aid of up to 30% of overall costs is being made available depending on the overall size of the project. The scheme is being rolled out over a five year period and will potentially support the conversion to renewable energy in up to 600 installations depending on overall project sizes. A sum of €22m was originally made available for this scheme to 2010 and in Budget 2007 a further €4m was added to the programme, which is now being expanded to include solar and other renewable technologies, and to allow community and voluntary groups to avail of the grants.

On 3 August 2006 I launched an €11m grants package for Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to encourage industry and commercial users to generate their own electricity and heat. CHP units simultaneously generate heat and electricity in a single process on site. By combining these processes CHP saves around 25% of the energy that would have been required to produce electricity in a conventional power station and heat in separate heat-only boilers. The scheme is providing grant support to assist the deployment of small-scale fossil fired CHP (up to 1MWe) and biomass CHP systems.

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