Energy Minister Eamon Ryan today announced that Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is now inviting applications for the ‘Cluster Housing’ phase of the Government’s Home Energy Saving Pilot Scheme. Grants of up to €2000 per household are now available to clusters of five or more houses for energy improvements such as insulation and heating controls. The objective of the cluster element is to demonstrate the economies of scale that are achievable when a group of homeowners co-operate on the installation of common energy saving measures.
The Home Energy Saving Scheme was announced by Minister Ryan in April of this year and is already well under way in three separate geographic areas, North Tipperary, Limerick/Clare, and Dundalk, with over 1000 homes currently participating. These areas are testing the response when people participate on an individual home basis. The next phase of the pilot scheme is to test the response of groups of homes, and it is this ‘Cluster’ phase, open to all parts of the country, which SEI is now inviting applications for.
Minister Ryan said; ‘Only of the most sensible ways to help deal with rising energy costs is to improve the energy efficiency of our homes. That is exactly what this scheme is already doing and in fact, it has been estimated that householders can save up to €500 a year by bringing their houses up to modern energy efficiency standards. It is logical that when groups of houses come together the initial outlay may be lessened while the return remains just as good. I would urge people to consider how best they might take advantage of this opportunity to not only help themselves, but also others in their community as well as the environment.’
Brian Motherway, SEI, said; “The first phase of the pilot programme is running very successfully and we are now keen to see how people will respond to the cluster phase. We know that significant economies of scale are possible where a group of homes act together and we are confident that homeowners will be eager to avail of this opportunity.”
Any group of homes can come together to form a cluster – for instance via a residents’ association or a property management company. Landlords with multiple dwellings can also apply. Third parties, such as local energy agencies or building contractors, can also gather a group of participants to form a cluster.
Information gathered by SEI during the pilot scheme will be evaluated to inform the potential roll-out of a full scale scheme in 2009.
Funding for the cluster phase is limited and intended to support a total of 500 homes. Applicants will be dealt with on a first-come-first-serve basis and SEI has specified that all remedial works must be completed by the end of November 2008. Applicants must secure agreement from all participating households in each cluster to pay a reduced fee of €100 for the initial home energy assessment that will recommend what actions should be taken. Following the assessment an advisory report will be prepared for each household identifying measures for which the grant can be used.
Further information is available through SEI’s website www.sei.ie/hes or by calling 1850 927 000
-ENDS-
Note for editors:
About SEI:
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) is the statutory authority charged with promoting and assisting the development of sustainable energy. SEI is funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan, with programmes part-financed by the European Union.
For further information, please contact:
Press Office
Department of Communications, Energy &
Natural Resources
T: 678 2441
E.mail: press.office@dcenr.gov.ie
Glao ón Aire Ó Riain ar Phobail Comhoibriú um Fheabhsúcháin ar Fheidhmiúlacht Fuinnimh in Áitribh
Scéim Deontas de luach €5 milliún as Choigilteas Fuinnimh sa Bhaile ar oscailt anois do “Bhraislí Tithíochta” nó Chlachain
Baile Átha Cliath, 4ú Lúnasa 2008
D’fhógair an tAire um Fhuinneamh, Éamonn Ó Riain, inniu go bhfuil Fuinneamh Inmharthana Éireann (SEI) ag lorg iarratas anois as céim na gclachan den Treoir-Scéim de chuid an Rialtais um Choigilteas Fuinnimh in Áitribh. Tá deontais suas le €2000 in aghaidh an teaghlaigh ar fáil as feabhsúcháin fuinnimh ar nós insliú agus rialaitheoirí téimh i gclachain de chúig theach nó níos mó. Is é cuspóir na scéime an bharainneacht mhórscála ar féidir a bhaint nuair a chomhoibríonn grúpa teaghlach chun bearta coigilteas fuinnimh coiteann a chur i bhfeidhm a léiriú.
D’fhógair an tAire Ó Riain an Scéim um Choigilteas Fuinnimh in Áitribh in Aibreán na bliana seo agus tá sé cheana féin faoi lán-tseol i dtrí cheantar ar leith – Tiobraid Árann Thuaidh; Luimneach agus an Clár; Dun Dealgan – agus breis agus 1000 teaghlach páirteach ann faoi láthair.
Arsa an tAire: “Ceann des na bealaí is stuama chun deighleáil le hardú praghas an fhuinnimh ná feidhmiúlacht fuinnimh ár gcuid tithe cónaithe a fheabhsú. Sin díreach atá faoin scéim seo agus meastar gur féidir le teaghlach suas le €500 a shábháil air féin ach an teach a thabhairt suas chun caighdeáin fheidhmiúlachta fuinnimh an lae inniu. Nuair a thagann grúpa teaghlach le céile tá ciall leis go mbeidh an bun chostas in ísle duine ar dhuine ach go mbeidh an toradh díreach chomh maith céanna. Mholfainn do gach duine a mheas conas a fhéadfadh sé leas a bhaint as an deis seo agus ní hamháin chun a thairbhe féin ach chun tairbhe baill eile an phobail agus chun tairbhe an comhshaoil.”
Arsa Brian Motherway ón SEI: “Tá an chéad céim den treoir-chlár faoi lán-tseol agus faoi rath agus táimid ag tnúth le fáil amach cé chomh maith a fhreagróidh daoine do chéim na gclachan. Is eol dúinn gur féidir barainneacht mhórscála fiúntach a bhaint nuair a thugann grúpa teaghlach faoi le céile agus táimid cinnte de go mbeidh mór-shuim ag úinéirí tí an leas a bhaint.”
Féadtar grúpa ar bith de áitribh a thabhairt le chéile chun clachan a chruthú – mar shampla trí mheán cumann cónaitheoirí nó gnólacht bainistíochta réadmhaoin. Tig le tiarnaí talún agus ilteaghaisí acu iarratas a chur isteach freisin. Nó d’fhéadfadh tríú páirtí, gníomhaireacht fuinnimh áitiúil nó conraitheoir tógála nó a leithéid, rannpháirtithe a bhailiú chun clachan a chruthú.
Athbhreithneofar an t-eolas a bhailíonn SEI le linn na treoir-scéime chun scéim féideartha iomlán a sheoladh go feasach san mbliain 2009.
Tá maoin teoranta ann do chéim na gclachan agus é dírithe ar fhreastal ach ar 500 áitreabh. Glacfar le hiarratasóirí ar bhonn tús freastail ar an duine is túisce agus forálann SEI go gcaithfear na hoibreacha feabhais a bheith críochnaithe faoi dheireadh mhí na Samhna 2008. Caithfidh iarratasóir comhaontú na dteaghlach go léir a ghlacann páirt i gclachan d’fháil as an táille laghdaithe de €100 a íoc as an measúnú tosaigh um fhuinneamh an áitribh óna thiocfaidh na moltaí de chéard is cóir a dhéanamh. Mar thoradh ar an measúnúchán ullmhófar moltaí do ghach theaghlach a léireoidh na bearta ar ar féidir an deontas a chaitheamh orthu.
Ag lorg breis eolais duit féach ar líonionad SEI www.sei.ie/hes nó glaoigh ar 1850 927 000.
CRÍOCH
Nóta d’eagarthóirí:
Céard é SEI?
Is é Fuinneamh Inmharthana Éireann (SEI) an t-údarás reachtúil ar a bhfuil an cúram leagtha forbairt an fhuinnimh inmharthana a chothú agus a éascú. Tá SEI arna mhaoiniú ag Rialtas an hÉireann faoin bPlean Forbartha Náisiúnta agus a chuid chlár arna pháirt-mhaoiniú ag an Aontas Eorpach.