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For Written Answer on : 06/12/2022
Question Number(s): 118 Question Reference(s): 60363/22
Department: Environment, Climate and Communications
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
| To ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has considered supports to encourage the switching from oil to gas for heating purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. – David Stanton. * For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 6th December, 2022. Ref No: 60363/22 |
REPLY
I propose to take questionos 109 and 118 together. The SEAI National Heat Study is a comprehensive analysis of the options for reaching net zero emissions from the heating sector by 2050 and is informing policy to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors to 2050. It considered a number of potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwelling and business types, including the use of liquid biofuels, solid biomass, biogases and other technologies, such as heat pumps and district heating networks. The recommendation of the Study is that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for domestic heating systems, with district heating also being a competitive option that can be widely deployed.
The Study finds that bioliquids are not a cost-effective option for heat in any sector in any of the scenarios that were considered. Liquid renewable fuels may be best used in transport systems that are more difficult to decarbonise and their use should be incentivised in the transport energy market.
The Government, earlier this year, introduced a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades. The new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme offers increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with heat pump. Homes that take a step-by-step approach can avail of grants of up to €6,500 for the replacement of fossil fuelled boilers with heat pumps. Heat pumps are extremely efficient and very economical to run offering lower energy costs to homeowners as well as reduced carbon emissions. Full details on the range of SEAI supports available can be found at www.seai.ie.
A District Heating Steering Group has also been established to examine the issues around the structures necessary for the development of the sector and the Group is developing recommendations on the steps necessary to support a structured, nationally consistent approach to the development of district heating.