Government announces new phase for Greener Homes Scheme as grant volumes exceed 22000

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan T.D. today announced that the Greener Homes Scheme (GHS), having made over 22,000 grant commitments to householders towards the installation of new renewable energy heating systems, will move immediately to Phase III of the scheme. The announcement of Phase III is timed to coincide with the recent coming into force of the revised Building regulations 2008 which for the first time see a compulsory requirement for some component of renewable energy in all new homes.

The main changes under Phase III of the scheme is that henceforth only existing (at least one year old) houses will be eligible for support and there will be a small reduction in the levels of support for the existing biomass technologies. In addition a new biomass technology, gasification boilers, is being added to the scheme and becomes eligible for support. Applications under this scheme will, effective from close of business Monday 7^th July, no longer be accepted and Phase III will be open for business on July 22 2008.

Announcing the revised Scheme Minister Ryan said, “The Building Regulations 2008, which my colleague Minister Gormley brought into force on July 1^st, make the inclusion of renewable energy in new homes compulsory. The existence of this legislation means that it would no longer be appropriate to grant aid their installation in new homes. On the other hand the installation of renewable heating systems in existing homes is typically more complex and therefore more expensive and so I believe merits continued support in the short term at least while the market reaches ultimate maturity’.

Of the 22,000 grant offers in place, already 13,000 of them have been paid following the successful installation of the systems. This has resulted in annual reduction of 33,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The applications are split across the three technologies: Biomass (26%), Heatpump (26%), Solar Thermal (48%). The scheme has helped establish a very strong supply industry for the products, services and fuels while the application of strict product standards and installer training and quality schemes has ensured that consumers are both informed and confident in their choices.

Minister Ryan concluded, ‘I see the continued availability of grants for these technologies as an important way of solidifying the establishment of a quality driven industry, that can underpin longer term renewable energy goals as Ireland strives to meet its national and international climate change obligations’

- Ends -

Note for editors:

Details of revised levels

*Where GHS is Greener Homes Scheme

Applications under Phase III will be available when the Scheme opens on July 22, 2008.

Under the new Building Regulations 2008, certain transitionary exemptions mean that houses already under construction or houses for which planning permission has already been secured are exempt for a defined period. However the ‘existing homes’ only policy applies immediately to the Greener Homes Scheme.

For further media information, please contact:-

Press Office

Department of Communications, Energy &

Natural Resources

Telephone - 6782441

E.mail - press.office@dcmnr.gov.ie

An Rialtas ag Fógairt Céim Nua do Scéim na dTithe Glasa agus Líon na nIarratas ag Éirí thar 22,000

Baile Átha Cliath, 7^ú Iúil 2008

D’fhógair an tAire Cumarsáide, Fuinnimh agus Acmhainní Nádúrtha Éamonn Ó Riain T.D. inniu go rachadh Scéim na dTithe Glasa láithreach chun Céim III den scéim, anois go bhfuil breis agus 22,000 gealltanas um dheontas déanta le teaghlaigh faoi chórais teasa nua fuinnimh inathnuaite. Fógraíodh Céim III agus í comhuaineach le teacht i bhfeidhm le déanaí de leasú 2008 des na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta faoina leagtar ceanglas as cineál éigean fuinnimh inathnuaite i ngach áitreabh cónaithe nua.

Is iad na príomh athruithe faoi Chéim III gan ach áitribh atá breis agus bliain d’aois a bheith cáilithe chun tacaíocht a ghnóthú agus go mbeidh laghdú beag ar oiread na tacaíochta do theicneolaíochtaí bithmhaise atá ann faoi láthair. I dteannta san tá teicneolaíocht bithmhaise nua, coire ina ghásaítear an breosla, á chur leis an scéim agus é cáilithe anois as tacaíocht fúithi.

Ag fógairt na scéime aitheagraithe dó inné dúirt an tAire: “Tá sé éigeantach faoi Rialacháin Foirgníochta a chuir mo chomhghuaillí an tAire Ó Gormlaigh i bhfeidhm ón 1^ú Iúil fuinneamh inathnuaite a bheith mar chuid de gach áitreabh cónaithe nua. Agus an reachtaíocht seo i bhfeidhm níor chuí a thuille deontas a chur ar fáil as a leithéad a chur isteach in áitribh nua. Ar an láimh eile de is casta go mór de ghnáth córais téamh inathnuaite a shuiteáil i sean-áitribh agus dá bharr san níos costasaí agus mar sin creidim gur fiú leanúint den tacaíocht ar a laghad fad atá an margadh á fhorbairt go hiomlán.”

Ar na 22,000 gealltanas um dheontas a rinneadh glanadh 13,000 díobh cheana féin de thoradh suiteáil chríochnúil na gcóras. Uaidh sin laghdaíodh astuithe CO₂ de 33,000 tonna in aghaidh na bliana. Baineann na hiarratais le trí chineáil teicneolaíochta: Bithmhais (26%), Teaschaidéal (26%), Teas na gréine (48%). Thug an scéim cúnamh do thionscal soláthair láidir dos na táirgí, na seirbhísí agus na breoslaí agus ag an am céanna cinntíodh le cur i bhfeidhm dhian-chaighdeán um tháirgí, le cúrsaí traenála do shuiteálaithe agus le scéimeanna cáilíochta go bhfuil tomhaltóirí ar an eolas agus iontaoibh acu as an rogha a dhéanann siad.

Ba é focal scoir an Aire: “Feicim tábhacht leis go leanfaí de na deontais a bheith ar fáil dos na teicneolaíochtaí seo mar bhealach tábhachtach chun bonn daingean a chur faoi thionscal go bhfuil tóir aige ar fhoirfeacht agus a chuirfidh bonn sochar faoi spriocanna fuinnimh inathnuaite atá níos fadtéarmaí agus Éire ag cur chuige chun a cuid dualgas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta um athrú aeráide a chomhlíonadh.”

CRÍOCH

Nóta d’eagarthóirí:

Sonraí na leibhéal nua

*Ciallaíonn STG Scéim na dTithe Glasa

Glacfar le hiarratais faoi Chéim III nuair a osclófar an Scéim an 22^ú Iúil 2008.

Faoi na Rialacháin Fhoirgníochta nua tugtar díolúine áirithe a chiallaíonn go bhfuil tithe atá á dtógáil nó go bhfuil cead pleanála faighte dóibh cheana saor ón riachtanas go ceann achar ama. Baineann an beartas faoi ‘áitribh atá ann cheana féin’ amháin le Scéim na dTithe Glasa láithreach.