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Improved grants and supports for retrofitting homes promised in draft Programme for Govt

Writer's picture: TJ Briody & Co.TJ Briody & Co.

The draft programme for Government includes a commitment to revise and improve the provisions of grants and financial supports for homeowners who wish to invest in retrofitting their homes, enhancing their energy efficiency, and reduce their energy costs.


There is a specific commitment also to ensure that any such grants and schemes are made accessible to older people in communities around the country.


There is also a commitment to ramp up the delivery of more B2 equivalent home energy upgrades or retrofits, each year up to 2030, with a particular focus on low-income households.


Measures to support joint retrofitting projects by neighbours are also to be supported while a mechanism to enable private homes in social housing estates to opt into retrofitting projects at an adjusted cost will be developed.


The new government will also promote the €500 million Low Interest Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme offering low interest loans of between €5,000 and €75,000 for retrofitting and energy upgrades.


Renewable energy

The draft programme promises to ensure "community gain" arrangements are put into operation when renewable energy projects, such as wind or solar farms, are built in a local area.


It specifically says consideration will be given to ensuring that electricity is made permanently cheaper for the community as a possible option in such scheme arrangements.


It also promises to facilitate employment opportunities in constructing, maintaining, and servicing renewable infrastructure, and integrating local businesses into the supply chain.


There is also a commitment to simplify market access for community-owned solar and wind projects by promoting of the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme


Oil boilers

The draft Programme for Government says consideration is to be given to allowing owners of older houses currently using oil boilers for central heating to switch to using sustainable biofuels instead.

This would be to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions only where deep retrofits or energy upgrading is not possible in the short-term.


This is a reference to the possibility of use of hydrotreated vegetable oil or HVO, for home heating instead of diesel in some cases.


The use of HVO is a highly controversial issue among environmentalists. Many are deeply concerned that the promotion of HVO usage and its substitution for diesel encourages the destruction of rainforests and their replacement with palm oil plantations, environmental and ecological degradation, and land grabbing in developing countries.


However, some local authorities, businesses, and other organisations including Dublin Port, as well as many motorists have already switched to using HVO as a direct substitute for diesel in their existing heating systems and engines.


This is because HVO can instantly deliver a reduction of more than 90% greenhouse gas emissions with minimum adjustments or upgrading required.


There are major concerns among environmental groups that the EU certification of the sources of imported HVO from sustainable sources may be subject to widespread fraud and this would render the promotion of its use to be damaging to the environment.


Rainforests which are often referred to as the lungs of the planet are one of most important carbon sinks on Earth. Chopping them down to enable the growth of a major source material to produce HVO could be counterproductive according to some environmental experts.


In response to these concerns the draft programme includes a commitment to "improve the traceability in HVO procurement to ensure the product is from sustainable sources".


Greenhouse gas

The draft Programme for Government includes a commitment to continue with the greenhouse gas reduction targets already legislated for in the Climate Act.


However, it says annual updates to the Climate Action Plan will in future focus on a smaller number of strategic and impactful actions across than previous updates.


It also says the next government will advocate at EU and international level to reclassify biogenic methane when accounting for greenhouse gas emissions.


Biogenic methane accounts for most greenhouse emissions from cattle and other ruminant animals which dominate Irish agriculture.


Other commitments

New regulations to encourage the use of timber in new building projects, because it is a sustainable building material.


Legislation this year to accelerate the roll out of district heating systems.


To consider legislation to ensure surplus renewable electricity, that would otherwise be unused, can instead be diverted to homes in fuel poverty.


To develop and accelerate the rollout of new electricity interconnectors between Ireland the UK, and Ireland and the EU, so the country is well positioned to become a net exporter of renewable electricity in the future.


To reform the mandate of the Commission for Energy Regulation, as a priority, to ensure low-cost energy for households and businesses become a central tenet of its operation.



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