The three most relevant domestic schemes are
• Home Energy Saving Scheme (click link for a video of Durkan Ecofix, retrofitting a house in Allen Park, Stillorgan)
• Warmer Homes Scheme
• Greener Homes Scheme

Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) administers the grants and assistances. They also have a team of staff available on the phone to advise callers any of the above schemes and assist callers make applications.

There are also grants available for businesses and the public sector. For more information see www.sei.ie, call 1850376666 or call the Louth Green Party on 042 9386849

NEW Home Energy Saving Scheme

The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme assists homeowners who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy use and energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

The scheme has just been launched and interested homeowners and contractors can now register their interest with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). Homeowners who register with SEI will be contacted after the end of March. At the moment SEO are registering contractors for the scheme. When the scheme is ready to go homeowners will be contacted with further details and will be given forms to complete.

E-mail your interest to hes@sei.ie or phone 1850 927000.

Measures eligible under this scheme are
• Roof insulation
• Wall insulation
• Heating controls
• Building Energy Rating (BER) assessment Before and After the works.

MEASURE CATEGORY GRANT *
Roof Insulation Roof insulation €250
Wall Insulation Cavity wall insulation €400
Internal wall dry-lining €2,500
External wall insulation €4,000
Central Heating High efficiency gas or oil fired boiler (90% efficient) with heating controls upgrade €700
Heating Controls Heating Controls Upgrade €500
Building Energy Rating
(BER) A Before works and an After works assessment €200

Grants are payable when measures are completed in compliance with the scheme's Terms and Conditions;
• Homeowners must have received grant approval before purchasing materials or staring works
• Homeowners may apply several times, however the grant value of the first application must be €500. A building energy rating (BER) assessment grant cannot form part of the €500 amount.
• A contractor registered with SEI for this particular scheme must carry out all works.

NOTE You may NOT qualify for a Home Energy Saving scheme grant if...

• If your first grant application would be for less than €500. For example, if you are only intending to do attic insulation (€250) or blown cavity wall insulation (€400) on their own then you will not qualify for a grant
• If you are only replacing your existing boiler with a boiler that is LESS than 90% efficient then you will not qualify for a grant
• If you decide to simply replace your boiler but not upgrade the heating controls to the minimum prescribed standard then you will not qualify for a grant
• If you wish to get a grant for a Building Energy Rating (BER) then you must undertake a BER both before and after undertaking the appropriate grant aided measures.

Warmer Homes Scheme

This is for households on a low income. The household is eligible if in receipt of the fuel allowance, invalidity or disability payment, state pension, lone parents, etc. Other benefits may qualify depending on location. This scheme uses community based organisations to carry out the work.

Works grant aided under the scheme include attic insulation, draught proofing, lagging jackets, energy efficient lighting, cavity wall insulation, and energy advice.

Applications can be made directly to Clondalkin Home Improvement Partnership (CHIP) 01-4670344 who serve Co Louth. Alternatively you can contact SEI on 1800 250 204 or email warmerhomes@sei.ie and SEI staff with contact CHIP on your behalf.

Please note that there is a long waiting list for the Warmer Homes Scheme.

In Drogheda alone more than 400 homes have been insulated under the WHS. Householders are reporting savings of between €700 and €1,000 per year on their heating bills. Recently, Eamon Ryan, Minister for Energy Communications and Natural resources visited some of the 400+ homes in Drogheda which have already been insulated under the WHS. Link

Greener Homes Scheme

The Greener Homes Scheme assists homeowners who intend to purchase a new renewable energy heating system for existing homes. Homeowners can choose whatever system meets their particular needs in terms of heat demand, their budget and environmental considerations - solar, biomass or heat pump.

The Scheme is open to homeowners who need to retrofit a new renewable energy heating system in their existing home. Please note this scheme is not available for new builds. The applicant must be the owner of an existing home (not applicable to mobile homes, caravans, houseboats or other temporary dwellings). Only existing dwellings are supported. The home must have been occupied for a minimum of one year and it must have an existing heating system.

The grants will be provided to householders who invest in renewable energy based heating systems are:

Solar heating - for space heating and/or hot water

Heat pump - horizontal collector, vertical collector, well water or air source

Wood Chip or Pellet stoves - with or without integral boiler

Wood Chip or Pellet boilers

Wood Gasification Boilers

NOTE: Product must be listed, at the date of application, on SEI's list of conforming equipment (available on request or online)

How to apply
Like the Home Energy Saving Scheme above, householders must apply for approval from SEI before any works or instillations commence. After approval works can commence but a registered contractor must do the works. Once works are completed and inspected and paid for, approved homeowners will receive their grant into their bank account. The applicant must make a formal request to SEI for payment and include the following:

1. Completed Request for Payment Form
2. Invoice and receipt of payment to installer separately detailing full cost of equipment and installation* (in instances where the total amount paid is less than the grant approved then the lesser amount will be paid)
3. Completed Standard Commissioning Report signed by the installer

Once all documentation is in order, and a satisfactory inspection completed, the grant will be paid electronically to the applicant's bank account and an accompanying letter notifying payment will be sent to the applicant. Typically, applicants should allow an 8 to 10 week period for this process to be completed.

Grant amounts
Solar Thermal Space and or Hot water heating (Evacuated Tube) €300 per m2(to max.6m2 )

Solar Thermal Space and or Hot water heating (Flat Plate) €250 per m2 (to max.6m2 )

Heat Pump - Horizontal ground collector €2,500

Heat Pump - Vertical ground collector €3,500

Heat Pump - Water (well) to water €2,500

Heat Pump - Air source €2,000

Wood Chip/Pellet Stove €800

Biomass / Wood pellet Stove with integral boiler €1,400

Wood Chip/Pellet Boiler €2,500

Wood Gasification Boiler €2,000

More detailed information on all these grants is available from www.sei.ie. SEI staff are also available on the phone to answer questions, assist with applications or post out more information to callers. 1850 37666