As Ireland’s 2030 climate targets loom closer, the Government continues to ramp up its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy in our homes.
A key part of the residential strategy has been to encourage the installation of heat pumps, which use electricity to extract energy from the air for space heating and hot water. The stumbling block? Thousands of Irish households still rely on expensive, inefficient, fossil fuel-combusting oil and gas boilers.
To accelerate the rate of change, the Government has set about making heat pumps as affordable as possible. Earlier this year, SEAI announced that homeowners could apply for a grant of up to €12,500 for a new heat pump – up from the previous level of €6,500 – with the new amount covering installation of the system as well as upgrade works support and a renewable heat bonus.
Up to €14,500 in funding available for heat pumps
Now, the Government has approved another expansion of the home energy grant scheme including a new, additional €2,000 bonus for homeowners who scrap their fossil fuel heating system and switch to a heat pump instead.
Taking into account the existing supports of up to €12,500, this means that Irish homeowners can now apply for up to €14,500 towards installing a heat pump and making the associated changes to their home’s heating system, where eligibility requirements are met.
Although the new €2,000 boiler scrappage scheme will not come into effect until early 2027, the Government has said that eligible homeowners who already have a heat pump application in progress WILL qualify for the additional €2,000 boiler scrappage grant.
Air to water heat pump – the perfect boiler replacement
If we’re talking about a heat pump system to replace an oil or gas boiler, the optimum solution is an air to water system, which takes energy from the outside air and uses this to heat your domestic hot water tank as well as your radiators and/or underfloor heating.
Daikin air to water heat pumps are ideal for recently built (e.g. in the last 15-20 years) houses that are already well insulated or for older properties where the homeowners are going for an energy upgrade involving a package of retrofit measures including a full boiler replacement.
To find out more about your options and a pathway towards heat pump installation, start by having a conversation with your local installer or contractor. They will explain what’s involved and provide guidance on the SEAI grant application process.
In addition to installing the heat pump, your local installer will also carry out any renovation work that’s needed (e.g. upgrading radiators) and show you how to get the most out of the system as part of the handover process. They will also show you how to manage your indoor environment remotely using the Onecta app.
Replacing a fossil fuel boiler with a heat pump is a way of future-proofing your energy needs with a heating solution that will provide reliable, consistent comfort for years to come. And now, with up to €14,500 available towards the cost of a heat pump system, 2027 might be the year you finally say goodbye to your boiler.
Browse the Daikin range of heating and hot water solutions here.