better energy communities - marcella maher keogh

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By Marcella Maher Keogh

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By Marcella Maher Keogh

Marcella Maher Keogh PM for DUET & ECT Architectural Technician

Building Energy Assessor

Project Manager

Internship with DUET in 2012

DUET are a group of Volunteers looking to generate activity in their community

Role facilitated by NTLP

DUET A meeting with

Tipperary Energy Agency to discuss options.

It was decided that conservation rather than generation would provide better outcomes to the community. A survey of homes in the community was required to establish Insulation levels, types of fuels being used by house holders, cost of Energy per household in the community.

Survey Report

Oct 2011

Community -Core

Economy

Economy

Culture and

Tourism

Survey Results

€1,000,000 per year spent on energy ◦ €1000 per person

◦ €2,500 per household

A 25% reduction in energy usage could save the parish €250,000

60% (200 out of 349) cited financial savings as their most important reason for investing in energy efficiency

BETTER ENERGY COMMUNITIES

SEAI launched a Grant under the Better Energy Communities Pilot scheme -2012

Drombane Upperchurch Energy Team were successful

Energy Team Achievements in 2012 & 2013

A total of 50 houses upgraded and 2 community buildings

Total cost of project €400,000

Grant from SEAI €300,000

Energy Communities Tipperary -2014

Other Communities to replicate Drombane Project

Kilcommon / Rearcross

Lorrha / Rathcabbin

Birdhill

Energy Team Achievements in 2014

A total of 110 houses and 2 community buildings

Total cost of project €1,078,000

Grant from SEAI €840,000

Approx 1.5 GWh/ year saved

Challenges Project Timeline – Often tight

Admin seemed heavy and time consuming

Contractors letting go good tradesmen – work starts in June / July till November

Possibility of rolling grants – 2/3 year program – with yearly targets – or overlap on projects

Challenges Funding / Bridging Finance for Community groups

Banks and Credit unions not interested

Clan Credo – interest @ 6% - max lending is €500,000 to one group

Cost of application to new communities – professional required to do the application for communities

Challenges Non SEAI registered contractors allowed

Contractors have a learning curve to comply with SEAI regulations for the BEC scheme – meet standards

KSN inspectors – varying opinions on the standards – this needs to be the same across the board

Challenges Recruiting houses – 1st year was the hardest – now

there is a waiting list in the parishes

Convincing “Can Pay” homes to invest more money – 30% grant could be increased – bonus money for 3 or more items upgraded

Community Committees – dealing with people from all different backgrounds – decision making slow

Positives Application stage has improved – better cross checks

Milestone payments – keep interest rates down

SEAI Staff very helpful

Local contractors – homeowners happier because they know and trust contractors

160 houses retrofitted over 3 years – a lot of these houses would never have been touched

Positives Excellent program – bringing life back into our

communities

People have more comfort in their homes

Provide local employment

Significant cost saving in the community

Significant reductions in carbon emissions

A win win for the individuals, the community and the country.

First project of its kind in the country.

Government input

More money available to the BEC program – reduced by half this year – with 75 applications received

Energy Credit unit costs could be increased -more finance from Energy Providers

Tax breaks for contractors willing to provide bridging finance to communities to run projects instead of lending from banks / Clan credo.

The Future People are willing to get involved – stimulating work

and energy efficiency savings for the country

Doing it from the bottom up – communities feel ownership of the projects – more involvement.

2015 project included 8 communities

Project is going from strength to strength – and can be replicated throughout the country.

By Marcella Maher Keogh