The number of homes retrofitted for energy upgrades in County Donegal has more than doubled over the past four years, new official figures have revealed.
Defective blocks homeowners can get grant funding for energy upgrades similar to all other homeowners.
In Donegal some 780 homes were upgraded under the National Retrofit Plan last year, up from 452 in 2021, 309 in 2020 and 354 in 2019. That’s an increase of more than 120 per cent over the period.
The number of upgrades here is set to soar in the coming years too, as many homes being rebuilt due to defective blocks will also be able to avail of the energy upgrade grant, typically worth up to €30,000.
There had been some concern last month that those rebuilding due to defective concrete blocks may not have qualified for the scheme – after a number of applicants were turned down on the basis that their rebuild didn’t meet the SEAI refurbishment criteria.
However the SEAI has since confirmed that defective blocks homeowners may now also obtain SEAI grant funding under the same criteria as all other homeowners.
On average homeowners undertaking a full energy upgrade [insulation, new windows, renewable heating source, etc] may obtain a sum between €20,000 and €30,000 in addition to their redress grant.
The report, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland [SEAI], shows that 27,199 property upgrades were completed in 2022, up almost 80 per cent on the previous year, as the government continues with its Climate Action Plan to upgrade 500,000 homes to BER B2 rating or better by 2030.
Capital expenditure on the National Retrofit Programme was €188 million in 2022, up 90 per cent on 2021.
Better for environment
Minister of Environment Eamonn Ryan explained the aim of the grant: “The National Residential Retrofit Plan is extremely ambitious and it has to be. Our aim is to retrofit 500,000 homes to a BER rate of B2 and install 400,000 heat pumps in existing homes by 2030, to make them warmer, healthier, more cost-efficient and better for our environment.”
“I particularly welcome the delivery of almost 4,450 fully funded upgrades for households at risk of energy poverty,” he said.
More information about the home energy grants is available here – home energy grants.