The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten is today encouraging homeowners to apply for grants for the installation of heat pumps. Grants of up to €3,500 are available and applications are now open.
“Ireland ranks among the highest in the EU for carbon emissions from homes. Switching to renewable heating options like heat pumps will be crucial for driving this down and to meet our emissions targets. Heat pumps can completely change the comfort levels in a home, as well as reducing heating bills and removing the need for oil, gas or solid fuel,” stated Minister Naughten.
The new grant is available to homes built before 2011.
A survey of the home will be carried out before a grant offer can be made. This survey is to ensure that the energy performance of the home’s fabric – i.e. the walls, roof, windows, doors and floor - is sufficient to allow the heat pump system to perform effectively and efficiently.
Grants available under Better Energy Homes Scheme include:
Measure | Measure type | Grant amount |
Insulation | Attic | €300 |
| Cavity Wall | €300 |
| Internal (Dry Lining) | Detached | €2,400 |
| Semi-detached/end of terrace | €1,800 |
| Mid terrace/apartment | €1,200 |
| External (Wrapping) | Detached | €6,000 |
| Semi-detached/end of terrace | €4,500 |
| Mid terrace/apartment | €2,750 |
Heating System | Heating controls | €700 |
| Solar thermal | €1,200 |
| Heat pump | Air to air | €600 |
| Air to water, ground source, water source, exhaust air | €3,500 |
Building Energy Rating (BER) | | €50 |
Bonus for multiple measures | For 3rd measure | €300 |
| For 4th measure | €100 |
Further details are available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on 1850 927000 or email info@betterenergyhomes.ie
https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-grants/better-energy-homes/
Notes:
A heat pump system harnesses energy from free renewable sources outside the building, for heating and hot water.
Electrical heat pumps use a compressor to draw heat from a low temperature source, such as external air or ground to heat the building interior. While conventional heating systems such as storage heaters and boilers cannot produce more heat than that contained in their fuel source, a heat pump typically will produce three to four units of heat for every unit of electricity consumed.
Most heat pump systems have integrated heating controls, helping you to accurately match your space heating and hot water schedules to the working and living patterns in your home, so when heat and hot water are required, it is there and when it is not required, it is turned off. Using the heating controls in your heat pump system will typically reduce your energy usage by up to 20%.
https://www.seai.ie/resources/publications/Homeowners-Guide-To-Heat-Pump-Systems.pdf
For the full list of Terms & Conditions please refer to the Better Energy Homes Programme Application Guide, available at: www.seai.ie/grants/home-grants/better-energyhomes/how-to-apply