Written answers

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Renewable Energy

9:00 am

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 528: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on introducing a grant scheme for individual domestic uptake of renewable energy, similar to the clear skies initiative in the UK; his further views on whether, as well as the current grant for community based developments, an individual could get help to reduce the initial expenditure for installing clean renewable technologies such as solar powered water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21372/07]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Greener Homes Scheme is administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) and has been very successful since its launch in March 2006. The programme includes grants for wood chip and wood pellet boilers and stoves, solar and heat pump technologies. The aim of this scheme was to stimulate demand for renewable heat technologies in homes. The demand is clear, with 16,000 grants approved to date, and the sector is now on a firm footing. The number of registered renewable energy installers has increased dramatically and there has been a ten-fold increase in products available on the Irish market. This clearly demonstrates the very significant level of market development since the scheme was first launched.

Grants are also available for the installation of renewable heat technologies in clubhouses, community centres and commercial premises throughout the country. The ReHeat scheme and its predecessor programmes have been in operation for almost two years. The scheme was expanded earlier this year to provide grants for technologies such as wood chip/pellets, geothermal and solar and to allow community and voluntary groups to avail of funding. To date, funding has been approved for over 105 capital investments in renewable heat facilities, across the hospitality, agricultural, public, business, and industrial sectors.

The White Paper on Energy Policy and the Programme for Government commit to developing Ireland's clear and undoubted potential for distributed generation, including micro-generation. My Department is working with the relevant agencies including SEI, the Commission for Energy Regulation, ESB Networks and the Electro-Technical Council of Ireland, to put in place the appropriate administrative, technical and safety standards and practices to underpin the widespread deployment of micro generation technologies. The question of supports for domestic wind turbines will be considered as part of this process.

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