Applications opened yesterday for a new €27 million grants scheme to encourage householders to install renewable heating systems in new or existing homes.
The Greener Homes Scheme provides grant-aid of between €1,100 and €6,500 to people installing wood pellet stoves and boilers, solar panels and geothermal heat pumps in their homes. This is the first time the Government has provided grants for such energy heating systems.
The installation of heat pumps will attract grant-aid of €4,000 to €6,500. Solar panels will be grant-aided at €300 per metre squared, while wood chip or pellet stoves and boilers will attract grant-aid of between €1,100 and €4,200. However, the grant must be fully approved before any work is done.
Installation of the product is not covered by the scheme. While prices of products vary greatly, the grant typically covers between 20 and 33 per cent of the product's cost.
The scheme is being administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland and application forms are available online at www.sei.ie
A helpline (1850 734734) has been set up to answer queries.
SEI hopes to process applications within two weeks, depending on the level of applications received. Almost 1,200 queries had been received about the scheme before it was even launched.
The scheme also includes funding for a wood chip or pellet boiler programme for small and medium-sized businesses and a combined heat and power and biofuels capital grants programme.
