Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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182. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of attics that would have been insulated by 2021 assuming that the rate of attic insulation would have continued at the rate seen in 2011 and been maintained in each subsequent year. [51306/22]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of attics that remain to be insulated. [51307/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 182 and 183 together.182 and No. 183 together,The Climate Action Plan set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq. in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2030.

Recognising that the achievement of this target will require a step-change in the pace and scale of delivery Ireland’s residential retrofit programme, earlier this year the Government approved a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills.

One of the key measures included a special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to up to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households, to urgently reduce energy use as part of the Government’s response to very high energy prices. To date this year, applications for attic and cavity insulations have tripled compared with last year, on foot of this initiative. 

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) have confirmed that, in 2011 approximately 36,000 homes had attic insulation installed under the Better Energy Homes Scheme.

The SEAI estimates that there could be of the order of 500,000 homes that have attic insulation with a thickness of less than 120mm (4-5 inches) of mineral wool that could benefit from additional attic insulation .

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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184. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of heating systems upgrades installed broken down by heat source including but not limited to oil, gas, electric heat pump and so on for the warmer homes scheme for the year to date in 2022, in tabular form. [51308/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme has delivered 3,068 home energy upgrades to the end of September 2022. Upgrades under the scheme can involve shallow, deep or deep heat works. To date this year, approximately 29% of homes under the Scheme have received heating upgrades with SEAI advising that 861 boilers and 21 heat pumps were installed under the Warmer Homes Scheme.Data in relation to the type of heating system upgrades under the Warmer Homes scheme is not routinely reported by SEAI and data is not readily available that differentiates between oil and gas boilers.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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185. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will introduce a grant towards the purchase of battery units for solar panels, which provide electricity at night-time and create the opportunity to sell excess solar electricity to the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51322/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The phased introduction of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) has already begun with the commencement of the MSS domestic solar PV grant on 16 February last and the extension of capital grants for non-domestic installations up to 6 kWe in September. Grant levels for both are up to a maximum of €2,400 and are available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). In relation to grants specifically for battery units purchased with Solar PV systems, the SEAI undertook an assessment of incorporating stand-alone battery grants into the new MSS Solar PV Grants and found that with the current high cost of batteries, coupled with their low storage capabilities of only a few hours and their relatively short lifetime (currently in the region of 10 years); that a stand-alone battery grant did not represent efficient use of Exchequer funds.

It should be noted that micro-generation installations including battery storage systems are still eligible for grant support under the MSS but there is now no need to install a battery to avail of the maximum grant.

Moreover, maximising the consumption of self-generated electricity by installing a micro-generation system to meet the demand profile of your home or business, where possible, will provide the most benefit to offset rising electricity costs. Furthermore, with the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises is now eligible for an export payment which further supports the investment.

While the very strong level of interest in grants offered under the MSS indicates that the scheme is working well, its operation and effectiveness will, like all such schemes, be kept under review and adjustments made where necessary.

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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186. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of companies currently acting as one-stop-shops for retrofitting of homes under the Government’s energy upgrade scheme; the criteria that must be met by a company to obtain such a status; if he expects their numbers to increase in the near future; if he will allow more smaller private contractors to get involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51323/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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187. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current expected waiting time for a home to avail of a deep retrofit under the national home energy upgrade scheme, by county; the main causes of delays in homes being able to avail of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51324/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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188. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the current average cost of a deep retrofit under the national home energy upgrade scheme; if he intends to further increase grant-aid to counter the rapidly rising costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51325/22]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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189. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of applications that have been received to date for grant-aid towards deep retrofitting of homes, by county; the number of grants that have been paid to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51326/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 186, 187, 188 and 189 together. In February this year, Government approved the establishment of the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (NHEUS) Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard.  This Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades.

Following Government approval, the SEAI registration portal opened for companies to apply to be a One-Stop-Shop (OSS), building on the preparatory work already undertaken. SEAI are focused on engaging organisations capable of professionally managing all aspects of a One Stop Shop service. Therefore, the registration process, for this new service, must be robust. The new Scheme is also grounded in robust governance and oversight processes to ensure the OSSs are meeting the necessary customer and quality performance indicators.

There are 12 OSSs registered and SEAI is supporting another 10 organisations through the registration process. The SEAI expects to have 15 registered OSSs offering whole house retrofits by the end of this year. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance. 

The cost of deep retrofit works to bring an individual home to a Building Energy Rating (BER) B2 is determined by a number of factors including the size and type of home as well as the starting condition of the home. The types of works applied for and the grant support available under the Scheme are informed by the Home Energy Assessment undertaken by the OSS.

Recent figures from the SEAI estimates that the cost of an OSS deep home retrofit ranges from €12,600 to €79,000 with a reported average total cost figure of €29,000 for completed works to date. While the average OSS home energy grant offer is €20,500. However, it is important to note that these averages may fluctuate depending on the applications submitted to the SEAI.

Applications for grant funding under the NHEUS take the form of a two-step process where the OSS apply on behalf of the homeowner for (1) a Home Energy Assessment grant and/ or and (2) a Home Energy Upgrade works grant for eligible measures required to bring the home to a B2 BER or better and achieve a primary energy uplift of 100 kWh/m²/yr.

The OSS is required to secure the consent of the homeowner before applying for a HEA or NHEUS grant. The HEA and the associated grant being separate to the home energy upgrade supports, means that the OSS will enter into separate contracts with homeowners at the two points of the process. These contracts will respectively provide that the OSS (i) complete the Home Energy Assessment within 12 months from the date the HEA grant offer issues and (ii) complete all home energy upgrade works associated with a property within 12 months of date of the grant offer.

Most recent figures from SEAI show that 681 homes have been approved for OSS home energy upgrades. The breakdown of this figure on a county basis can be found in the below table. This points to a strong pipeline of works for the coming months under the scheme. To date, energy upgrade works have been completed and paid for 89 homes.

Applications approved for deep home retrofit SEAI grant-aid under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One-Stop-Shops)

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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190. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a grant will be provided for the installation of wood pellet stoves in residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51345/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 commits Ireland to reach a legally binding target of net-zero emissions no later than 2050, and a cut of 51% by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels). The Climate Action Plan set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the residential sector from 7 Mt CO2 eq. in 2018 to between 3.5-4.5 Mt CO2 eq. in 2030.

The Programme for Government and Climate Action Plan set ambitious targets to retrofit the equivalent of 500,000 homes to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B2/cost optimal or carbon equivalent and the installation of 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes to replace older, less efficient heating systems by end-2030.  This represents approximately 30% of the housing stock and is among the most ambitious retrofit programmes worldwide.

Recognising that the achievement of these targets will require a step-change in the pace and scale of delivery Ireland’s residential retrofit programme, earlier this year the Government has approved a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills. The key measures include:

- A new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme providing increased grant levels of up to 50% (up from 30%-35%) of the cost of a typical deep retrofit to a B2 BER standard.

- Significantly increasing the number of free energy upgrades for those at risk of energy poverty, up to 400 per month from an average of 177 per month in 2021.

- A special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households, to urgently reduce energy use as part of the government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices.

To support the overarching policy objectives, the grant rates to homeowners are focused towards those measures which will be most effective in reducing energy use and reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, grant supports for wood pellet stoves will not be available under the SEAI residential energy upgrade schemes.