Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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171. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his Department will engage with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland with a view to altering the cut-off date for the solar electricity grant to accommodate householders who would have qualified if the property had been completed prior to 31 December 2020, but their completion was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24252/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Solar PV grant scheme under the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and is open to houses built prior to 2021. The scheme came into operation in February 2022 and built on the success of the previous pilot version of the grant scheme. As part of the transition between schemes, the minimum BER C3 requirement was removed and the eligibility of the homes was changed from those built prior to 2011, to those built prior to 2021.

Targeting the grant scheme at existing homes rather than new builds, ensures that the grants available through the SEAI maximize emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible; whilst also ensuring efficient and effective use of exchequer funding.

New build houses must follow Part L of the Building Regulations, which relates to the energy performance of buildings requirements. There are options to meet this requirement under the standard by including heat pumps and/or Solar PV, with the cost of installing Solar PV systems during the new build process significantly lower than for existing homes. Consequently, new build houses already enjoy significantly higher energy performance and resultant energy efficiency, compared with existing houses.

Since 2018, the SEAI has supported the installation of domestic Solar PV systems for over 22,500 homes, with demand for the domestic Solar PV grant increasing significantly throughout 2022, reaching over 10,000 by year end. Projections for 2023 indicate another record year for solar PV applications and while this 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.

Additionally, on the 5th of April 2023 the Government approved an amendment to Finance Bill 2023 to apply a zero percent VAT rate for the ‘Supply and installation of solar panels” on domestic buildings, from 1 May 2023 onwards. This measure is expected to reduce the average cost of the supply and installation of solar panels for consumers from €9000 to €8000, underlining the Government’s commitment to supporting households with Solar PV.