Written answers

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Energy Efficiency

9:00 pm

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the level of funding allocated to home energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes; and the percentage rate of increase to the funding that will be allocated to these programmes for each year until 2013. [14179/11]

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 214: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce an energy efficiency obligation for suppliers. [14180/11]

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to insulate all public buildings in the State; the buildings which have been insulated so far; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14181/11]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 215, inclusive, together.

My Department funds a number of energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes, the total capital allocations of which are broken down as follows:

Programme/Project2011 Total (€m)
Better Energy: The National Upgrade Programme91.405
Reheat Deployment0.500
CHP Deployment2.347
Electric Vehicles5.000

The largest of these programmes is 'Better Energy: The National Upgrade Programme', which I launched on Wednesday, 11 May 2011, on foot of the Jobs Initiative. Better Energy will replace three energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes: the Home Energy Savings Scheme (HES), the Warmer Homes Scheme (WHS) and the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS). Future capital allocations will be decided in the context of the relevant Budgets.

The obligations strand of Better Energy brings 25 energy suppliers on board as partners, in fulfilment of our obligations under the Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive. These companies have been asked to finalise voluntary agreements with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which will deliver 200GWh of energy saving measures in 2011. Energy companies can meet their target by directly offering upgrade services, or by subcontracting the work to third parties.

In the public sector, the most significant cost-cutting and energy saving potential lies in improving the energy performance of new and existing buildings and facilities. This will be a key focus of Better Energy, which will seek to raise financing from institutional investors for retrofit work in the public sector.

The Public Sector Programme of SEAI is the main delivery mechanism for energy efficiency actions by public sector bodies. This comprehensive programme includes a Public Sector support programme, which provides assessments and training to all public sector bodies and a grant programme to support energy efficiency measures.

As part of the SEAI's energy cost reduction services for the public sector, €5.9 million of financial support was made available in 2009 through the Supports for Exemplar Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEEP) for the implementation of 69 exemplar energy efficiency projects in the public sector. The estimated annual savings achieved was 30 GWh.

In 2010, the SEAI provided a further €5.3 million of grant support to 30 public sector projects through the national Energy Efficiency Fund, which targeted upgrades to buildings, services and facilities involving ambitious packages of energy efficiency investment actions aimed at achieving ongoing and lasting energy savings of 33 GWh per annum.

In addition, the SEAI is working closely with an increasing number of public sector bodies including An Garda Síochána and the HSE to accelerate development of their energy efficiency strategies. The work already under way has highlighted the very significant energy savings achievable across the public sector with commensurate reduction in energy costs for all public bodies.

I will be publishing a new National Energy Efficiency Action Plan over the summer which will set out the measures we will take to deliver on our overall national targets in line with the European Commission's ambition for energy efficiency. This may include a target for the refurbishment of public buildings.

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