Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
191. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to provide a breakdown of the number of oil boilers and the number of gas boilers installed in the warmer homes scheme and warmth and wellbeing scheme for 2023 to date, in tabular form. [35279/23]
View answerThe Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme delivers free energy upgrades for eligible homeowners in low-income households who are most at risk of energy poverty. The scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
Heating systems upgrades are recommended under the schemes in cases where:
• There is no heating system in place, and the home is receiving an attic and/or wall measure,
• Where the existing heating system is obsolete and the home is receiving an attic and/or wall measure,
• Where statutory ‘Major Renovations’ obligations apply: A Major Renovation is triggered when more than 25% of the area of the walls is being externally and/or internally insulated, then the existing heating system must be appraised for replacement. This is legally required under the Building Regulations, Part L 2019.
It should be noted that these are the only schemes administered by SEAI where installation of a new gas or oil heating system can be funded.
In order to move the scheme away from the installation of gas or oil heating systems where these Building Regulations are triggered, and to provide more extensive upgrades with decarbonised heating systems under the scheme, the National Retrofit Plan included a commitment to carry out a pilot to upgrade homes under the scheme to a B2 standard and install heat pumps. This pilot is gathering evidence to inform the appropriate process and approach to increase the number of B2 upgrades and heat pumps installations delivered under this scheme.
The table below sets out the number of oil boilers and the number of gas boilers provided to homes at risk of energy poverty who were in need of a heating system replacement this year to end June 2023:
|
Heating System Type |
Installations |
|
OIL |
235 |
|
GAS |
348 |
*The Warmth and Wellbeing pilot scheme closed in February 2022 and any remaining homes completed in 2023 are reported on under the Warmer Homes heading and are included in the totals above.
