Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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115. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce a grant scheme for biomass heating systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17119/14]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The National Renewable Energy Action Plan projects that heat from renewable sources will amount to 12% in the context of achieving our 2020 renewable energy targets. The uptake of the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) capacity under REFIT 3, launched in early 2012, will make a contribution to achieving this, along with migration to renewable heat in response to market forces. The requirements of Part L of the Building regulations are also expected to make a contribution to increasing the uptake of renewable heat. These measures and developments will build on the increases in renewable heat which were achieved by schemes such as the Greener Homes Scheme, the Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (ReHeat) and the CHP Deployment Programme. My Department is also currently finalising a Bioenergy Strategy which will set out the actions required to optimise the contribution that energy from biomass can make to achieving Ireland's 2020 renewable energy targets. Analysis underpinning the strategy suggests that additional, targeted bioenergy measures can have a significant impact in the heat sector and recommendations will shortly be brought forward in this regard. I do not propose to introduce a grant scheme for biomass heating systems.