New 2,000 boiler scrappage scheme, a battery grant and enhanced supports for households at risk of energy poverty among measures approved by Government.
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien TD, today (Sept 29) announced a package of enhanced renewable energy and retrofit grants designed to help households and businesses reduce energy costs, lower dependence on fossil fuels and strengthen Ireland's energy security.
The package, developed through the work of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT), includes a range of improvements to the schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) that will make it easier and more affordable for households and businesses to improve energy efficiency, install renewable energy technologies, and switch to cleaner heating systems.
Many households and businesses continue to face real pressure from high energy costs. Recent developments in international energy markets have once again highlighted the importance of reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels and strengthening our energy security.
The Government has already introduced more than 1.4 billion in energy affordability measures since March. The measures announced today build on that response by making it easier and more affordable for households and businesses to reduce their energy bills through energy efficiency, renewable energy and cleaner heating technologies.
A particular focus of this package is ensuring that households most exposed to high energy costs can benefit from the energy transition. Enhanced supports for households at risk of energy poverty, medically vulnerable customers, lower-income homeowners and renters will help ensure that those who need support most can access the benefits of lower energy bills. This package also substantially boosts support for solar installations for business, as well as other energy efficiency measures.
These measures, developed through the work of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce, form part of the Government's broader efforts to improve energy affordability, strengthen energy security and support the transition to a cleaner energy future. Further measures will be considered as part of Budget 2027, while the forthcoming Energy Affordability Action Plan, to be published next month, will set out a roadmap for improving energy affordability for households and businesses.Minister O'Brien
Key measures include (effective from 6 October 2026)
- Solar PV and battery will be offered as standard under fully funded Warmer Homes Scheme.
- More generous grants for solar, attic and cavity insulation for certain Department of Social Protection recipients and homes in HAP, RAS, and RASP tenancies.
- More favourable eligibility criteria for solar PV and solar thermal.
- Fossil fuel boiler scrappage support of 2,000 (effective immediately for eligible applicants).
- Enhanced supports for businesses that will save thousands in energy costs.
These measures are expected to deliver meaningful and long-lasting reductions in energy costs for households and businesses. Depending on the measure installed and the characteristics of the property, households could benefit from savings of up to 878 per year. These grants are on top of the range of existing supports for energy upgrades including insulation, window and door replacements and heat pumps which when installed as part of whole home upgrade can save homeowners up to 1,120 per year. Businesses availing of enhanced solar PV supports could reduce annual energy costs by up to 300,000 per annum, with significant energy savings also possible with enhanced solar thermal and heat pump grants.
Businesses across Ireland are facing significant challenges from high energy costs, and we know that improving competitiveness means helping firms reduce their overheads wherever possible. These enhanced supports will make it more affordable for businesses to invest in solar power, heat pumps and other energy-saving technologies that can deliver lasting reductions in energy bills. By increasing grant support for these measures, we are helping businesses strengthen their resilience, improve productivity and reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices. This is a practical investment in the competitiveness of Irish enterprise and in a more secure and sustainable future.Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD
The only long-term solution to high energy bills is to stop relying on the fossil fuels that drive them, and the best way to do that is through retrofit. We've had unprecedented demand to our programmes this year, with some of our offerings seeing an over 200% rise in the number of applications. These new measures are really welcome and will help us reach even more next year, especially those most in need, which is always a particular focus for us at SEAI.CEO of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), William Walsh
All of the measures announced today will open from 6 October 2026, subject to final implementation arrangements. In relation to the boiler scrappage scheme, all eligible homeowners with a heat pump application already in progress will receive an additional boiler scrappage grant of 2,000. The uplift will be added automatically for eligible homeowners. Full terms and conditions, and details in relation to eligibility, will be available in due course.
Further notes
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) was established in June 2025 to identify and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. It is chaired by the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien, and brings together senior representatives from across government, the energy sector and regulatory bodies. The first report of the taskforce, published in November 2025, informed key aspects of Budget 2026, including the extension of the 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity.
The Taskforce is currently finalising an Energy Affordability Action Plan, which will be submitted to Government following Budget 2027 and published in the coming weeks on www.Gov.ie.
Retrofit delivery to date
- Record 640 million allocation secured for residential retrofit programmes in Budget 2026.
- Target of 73,000 home energy upgrades in 2026.
- Applications more than double year-on-year, with 100,000 applications processed since the start of 2026.
- More than 287,000 home energy improvements supported since 2019.
- More than 2 billion invested through SEAI residential schemes since 2019.
- More than 39,500 fully funded upgrades delivered through the Warmer Homes Scheme.
- More than 120,000 homes supported through the Solar PV grant scheme.
- The Non-Domestic Microgen Grant Scheme has supported 3,160 installations totalling over 33 million since the scheme launched in 2022.
- More than 6,100 applications to the Non-Domestic Microgen Grant Scheme since 2022.
