150% rise in number of home energy upgrades
Solar PV property upgrades are up a massive 231% over last year.
708 home energy upgrades were completed in Mayo in the first half of this year. The figure was contained in a report published last week by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), which gave details of the 21,727 home energy upgrades supported through government-funded SEAI grant schemes in the first six months of 2023. This represents a 150% increase on the same period last year, and suggests activity is on track to meet or surpass the 37,000 upgrades target for 2023.
The standout achievements across all schemes in the first half of 2023 are:
• 21,727 retrofits have been completed so far this year, up 150% on the same period last year, with a strong pipeline of demand for the rest of the year.
• SEAI processed more than 31,500 grant applications across all schemes, up 41% on the same period last year.
• Solar PV property upgrades are up a massive 231% over last year, rising significantly following the Government’s move to cut VAT.
• 7,566 homes were upgraded to a BER B2 or higher, up 210% on last year.
• 2,346 property upgrades were completed through programmes focused on homes at risk of fuel poverty, up 20% on the same period last year.
• 7,122 attic and 5,641 cavity wall upgrades were supported. This is one of the most effective ways to make a home warmer and more efficient.
• Expenditure across all schemes was €129.9m, up 121% on the same period last year.
Commenting on the report, Dr Ciaran Byrne, Director of National Retrofit at SEAI said: “We are very pleased that overall demand has remained very strong across all schemes. Clearly, the increased grant values and new grant options introduced last year have made home energy upgrades much more appealing to homeowners. The removal of VAT on solar panels has driven significant demand on this programme and it is likely to continue into the third and fourth quarters of 2023.
“On the supply side, the additional registration of five one stop shops this quarter points to continued strong interest in the longer-term economic opportunities offered. We anticipate the increased supply to further drive demand and cost competitiveness.”
For the first time the report also profiles the average cost for comprehensive home energy upgrades in the first full year of operations of the One Stop Shop scheme. Across more than 300 homes already upgraded from an average BER of E1 to A3 or better, the average cost is €38,200 after grant.
