Energy Efficiency Grants and Loans

Better Energy Homes Scheme

Under this scheme, you can get a grant for:

· Attic insulation

· Wall insulation - including cavity wall, internal dry lining and external insulation

· Heating controls upgrade

· Solar thermal solutions

· Solar PV panels

· Heat pump systems (you can also get a grant for a technical assessment before you get a heat pump)

· A Building Energy Rating (BER) after the energy-saving work is carried out

IMPORTANT:

This scheme does not cover windows and doors, or the replacement of gas or oil boilers.

You may also be able to get the Home Energy Upgrade Loan to help with the additional costs of the upgrades that aren’t covered by the grant. These loans are subsidised by the Government and have lower interest rates than a regular personal loan. You only qualify for the loan if you are getting a home energy upgrade grant

These grants are available for homeowners and private landlords

Warmer Homes Scheme

The scheme prioritises the oldest and least energy efficient homes.

The scheme covers these home energy upgrades:

· attic insulation

· wall insulation - including cavity wall, internal wall and external wall insulation

· draught-proofing

· lagging jackets

· energy efficient lighting

· energy advice

New central heating systems and replacement windows are also occasionally covered by the scheme.

Your windows will only be replaced if your walls are being insulated at the same time and the existing windows are single-glazed windows. The SEAI decides if replacement windows are needed on a case by case basis.

To qualify for this scheme you must meet these criteria:

1. you must own your home and be living in it

2. your home must have been built and occupied before 2006

3. your home must have a BER of C,D,E,F or G

4. you must be getting one of the following social welfare payments:

· Fuel Allowance

· Working Family Payment

· Jobseekers Allowance

· Disability Allowance

· Domiciliary Care Allowance

· One Parent Family Payment

· Carers Allowance (you must live with the person you care for)

The National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme

This provides grants to upgrade the energy efficiency of a property. When the work is completed your property should have an energy efficiency rating of B2 or above. The scheme is available to homeowners and private landlords.

The SEAI also provides Individual Energy Upgrade Grants if you only want to do certain home energy upgrades.

You may be able to get a Home Energy Upgrade Loan to help with the additional costs of the upgrades that aren’t covered by the grant. These loans are subsidised by the Government so have lower interest rates than normal personal loans.

To qualify for a grant you must:

· be the owner of a property built and occupied before 2011 for insulation, heating control systems and renewable systems grants

· have a home with a BER of B3 or lower before the work

· reach a BER of at least B2 after the work and have a BER improvement of 100kWh/m2 per year

· not have already used grants for the same energy upgrades

· use an SEAI registered company (‘One Stop Shop’) to manage the process, work and applications

Under this scheme, you can get grants for:

· attic insulation

· rafter insulation

· wall insulation - including cavity wall, internal dry lining and external insulation

· floor insulation

· heating controls

· solar thermal solutions (solar hot water)

· solar PV panels

· heat pump systems and central heating system for heat pump

· new windows

· new external doors

· mechanical ventilation

· air tightness

· home energy assessment

· project management

Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme

This is a new loan scheme with low interest rates for homeowners who want to make their property more energy efficient. The loans can be used to undertake a deep retrofit involving several energy upgrades at the same time, or to carry out one or two upgrades that will significantly improve the energy performance of the home, for example, insulating your home or installing a heat pump or solar power.

People can get the loan for the home you live in, or a property you rent out. The loan is currently only available from Permanent TSB.

However, some other banks and credit unions are in the process of signing up to the scheme and are expected to begin offering the loan in very near future. These include:

· AIB

· Bank of Ireland

· Avant Money

You can borrow between €5,000 and €75,000 per property. You can get loans for up to 3 properties or €225,000 per applicant. Loan terms range from a minimum of one year up to a maximum of 10 years. The loans are unsecured loans. This means that no security or personal guarantee is required. The interest rates are different depending on who you get your loan from. But they will be lower than rates for regular personal loans. This is because the interest rates are subsidised by the Government and the loans are backed by the European Investment Bank. Permanent TSB is offering rates from 3.55%.

To qualify for the loan:

· You must be living in Ireland

· The property must be in the Republic of Ireland

· You must own the property. It can be the home you live in, or a property you rent out.

· You must use the loan for home energy upgrade work. At least 75% of the loan must be used for energy efficiency measures and 25% can be used for non-energy related works, like redecorating your home.

· You must qualify for an SEAI Home Energy Upgrade Grant for the work