Subsidy II (Support Scheme Renewable Heat)
Updated: 08.01.2019
Author: Georgios Maroulis
Since 2018, the Department of Communications, Climate Change and the Environment (DCCAE) introduced the “Support Scheme Renewable Heat” (SSRH). The scheme foresees a subsidy for RES H&C plants or an on-going operational support. Currently, only the subsidy scheme is open for applications.
Eligible technologies
Principally, heat pumps are eligible for a subsidy (ch. 2.3 SSRH Terms & Conditions). In any case, Heat pumps must have a seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP) of at least 2.5 (ch. 7.2.2 SSRH Terms & Conditions).
| Aerothermal energy | Eligible (ch. 2.3 SSRH Terms & Conditions) |
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| Hydrothermal energy | Eligible (ch. 2.3 SSRH Terms & Conditions) |
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| Geothermal energy | Eligible (ch. 2.3 SSRH Terms & Conditions) |
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Amount
The subsidy provides funding of up to 30% of eligible costs (ch. 4 SSRH Terms & Conditions).
Addressees
Commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating or other non-domestic heat users not in the Emission Trading System sector are eligible for the subsidy (ch. 5 SSRH Terms & Conditions).
Procedure
Process flow | The process is defined as follows: - Online application: The interested applicant submits its application to the online portal of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) (ch. 4 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines). An automated e-mail is sent acknowledging that the form has been submitted and it also requests that certain documentation be submitted to SEAI within 10 working days within the submission of the application (ch. 17 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
- Evaluation: The SEAI assesses the application along with the technical assessment. SEAI can refuse the application on several occasions (ch. 18 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
- Offer: The SEAI will issue a Letter of Offer to an Eligible Applicant. This will set out the terms and conditions on which the SEAI are offering the grant to the applicant. The applicant shall have 14 days to accept the Letter of Offer by it and returning it to the SEAI. Successful applicants will be given up to a maximum period of one calendar year from the date of the Letter of the Offer to install the installation in accordance with the Grant Scheme Rules and commission the installation (ch. 20 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
- Payment: The applicant, after the installation is complete, tested and commissioned, may submit the necessary documentation to request the payment (ch. 21 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
- Inspection: The SEAI will arrange for desktop audits or site inspections to take place (ch. 22 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines). If the applicant has passed inspection, the SEAI will proceed with the payment (ch. 23 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
- Post-payment: The SEAI will monitor and control the performance of the installation (ch. 24 Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines).
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Competent authority | The SEAI is the administrator of the Scheme, while DCCAE is the competent authority (ch. 2 SSRH Grant Scheme Operating Rules and Guidelines). |
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Distribution of costs
| State | There will be an annual Scheme budget cap set as part of the annual exchequer budgetary process and an assigned project support level cap both of which will limit the level of payments approved over the scheme duration. Total investment aid to any one project will not exceed € 1 million (ch. 12 SSRH Terms & Conditions). |
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Ireland
