Written answers

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Energy Conservation

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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258. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated number of gas boilers being used in Irish homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50476/21]

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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263. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if further supports are being considered to incentivise a greater take-up of retrofitting in Irish homes; if so, if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50481/21]

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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264. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the supports that are being considered specifically for middle income earners that do not currently qualify for free retrofitting supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50482/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 263 and 264 together.

The Climate Action Plan and Programme for Government set highly ambitious targets for the number and depth of retrofits to be completed by 2030. A new National Retrofit Plan to be published shortly will detail the Government’s approach to meeting these targets and will address barriers to retrofit across four key areas: driving demand and activity; financing and affordability; supply chain, skills and standards; and structures and governance.

It is estimated that 700,000 homes are currently using networked gas or LPG for their home heating needs. Improving the energy efficiency and decarbonising our homes is a critical climate priority and a major focus of the funding provided in the National Development Plan review.  €5 billion in carbon tax receipts will be invested by my Department to support the achievement of our national targets which are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030. 

Budget 2022 commits €202 million in carbon tax revenue to fund the SEAI residential and community retrofit schemes and a further €10 million from the Exchequer for the Solar PV scheme. This investment will support over 22,000 home energy upgrades, including over 6,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2. It will deliver warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes with lower energy bills. It will also reduce emissions from the residential sector and improve air quality.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) residential and community energy efficiency schemes will be a central element of the Government’s retrofit plan. These schemes provide free energy upgrades for households in, or at risk of, energy poverty as well as partial grants for those that can contribute to the cost. Full details on the application processes for the range of schemes operated by the SEAI are available at www.seai.ie.

A new National Home Retrofit Scheme will be launched at the end of this year. The Scheme will support homeowners to achieve deeper (B2) retrofits with heat pumps and will facilitate continuous, year-round working and the multi-year planning which has long been identified as a crucial requirement by the supply chain and homeowners. Information on this scheme will be published at its launch.   

My Department is also engaging with Department of Finance and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland in relation to the development of a residential retrofit loan guarantee scheme. The loan guarantee, which is co-funded by the EU, will enable credit institutions to offer loans with reduced interest rates and make comprehensive home energy efficiency upgrades more affordable to consumers. As a result, households will be able to enjoy more comfortable and healthier homes with a lower carbon footprint.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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259. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes in Ireland that have been fitted with heat pumps to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50477/21]

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated number of Irish homes that will be fitted with heat pumps in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50478/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

Improving the energy efficiency of our homes and reducing their carbon emissions is a key priority.  €5 billion in carbon tax receipts will be invested by my Department to support the achievement of our national targets which are to retrofit 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent and to install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030.

The number of homes fitted with a heat pump by year since 2011 is set out in the table below (based on Grant Schemes and Building Energy Rating (BER) data available to SEAI).

Table 1: Number of homes in Ireland fitted with heat pumps to date*

An estimate of the number of heat pumps to be retrofitted in the coming years will be included in the forthcoming National Retrofit Plan.

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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261. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes in Ireland that have been fitted with smart meters to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50479/21]

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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262. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated number of Irish homes that will be fitted with smart meters in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50480/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 together.

The installation of smart meters is a key enabler for the energy transition to a decarbonised system as outlined in both the National Development Plan and the Climate Action Plan. The move to upgraded digital meters will bring many benefits for energy customers by enhancing competition, making bills more accurate, providing customers with better information on their energy consumption and empowering them with new tools to make more informed choices about their energy needs.

Accurate energy usage information across the day will enable consumers to be more efficient in their use of electricity and save money, for example by using appliances off peak. This will, in turn, reduce the need for less efficient and more costly generation at peak times.

The National Smart Metering Programme is being coordinated by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities with ESB Networks responsible for rolling out smart-ready electricity meters. This rollout commenced in September 2019 and is due to conclude by end 2024 when some 2.25 million electricity meters will have been replaced in our homes and businesses nationwide.

By end-quarter 3 2021, 493,877 meters have been installed, in spite of the challenges caused by Covid-19 restrictions during 2020-2021. The estimated number of smart meters that will be installed in 2021 will be approximately 400,000 with plans to install some 500,000 each year thereafter until the Programme's completion.

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