DCCAE Announce Second Phase Support Scheme for Renewable Heat

The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton TD, has announced the second phase of his department's Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH). This will provide support for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion heating systems.

The applications have opened today, 4th June 2019, for the scheme and appications will be administereed by SEAI, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Making the announcement the Minister said: "If we are to cut greenhouse gases, we must replace fossil fuels by renewable sources. This scheme is designed to replace fossil fuel heating systems by heat pumps and by heat from biomass or anaerobic digestion. These are sustainable and renewable sources.....The scheme will include important protections to ensure that the heat supported is sustainable, used for useful purposes and represents value for money for the taxpayer. Over the lifetime of the scheme, the successful delivery of this programme can reduce carbon emissions by 11Mt – a significant contribution to meeting our emissions reduction targets."

The scheme is aimed at helping businesses and farms for up to 15 years for the installation and on-going use of biomass and anaerobic digestion heating systems. It is expected that the scheme will support up to 1,300 GWh of renewable heat per year meeting the needs of 120,000 homes.

The project will increase renewable heat use by 3% and see a decrease in emission of about 300,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Jim Gannon, CEO of SEAI, said: "Across Europe, heating remains one of the most challenging areas in which to achieve carbon emission reductions. This scheme is a vital component part of the Government's overall policy framework to decarbonise heat. SEAI is looking forward to delivering the scheme efficiently and effectively, mobilising the marketplace while maintaining a keen focus on value for public moneys."

The first phase of the SSRH, an installation grant for heat pumps, opened in September 2018 and supports ground, air and water source electric heat pump installations with grant-aid up to 30% of the capital outlay. Under Project Ireland 2040, the National Development Plan sets out an allocation of €300 million for the rollout of the scheme for the period up to 2027.