Noonan welcomes new figures showing retrofit surge in Kilkenny

Green Party TD for Carlow/Kilkenny and Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan has welcomed new figures released by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) which show the uptake on home energy upgrade grants by households in Kilkenny in the first half of 2024 increased by 25% when compared to the same period last year. 

As the SEAI published details on the 25,750 home energy upgrades supported through Government funded grant schemes in the first half of 2024, the figures showed Government expenditure across all schemes reached €186 million - a 44% increase on the same period in 2023. Of the homes upgraded, 3,300 were low-income households which benefited from totally free energy upgrades, 43 of which were in Kilkenny.

Reacting to the figures, Minister Noonan said: 

“The report from the SEAI shows continued momentum and strong delivery across the SEAI retrofit schemes nationally, including in Kilkenny where there were more community energy grants approved, more full retrofits undertaken, and individual measures like solar PV saw a 50% increase.

“I particularly welcome the 65% increase in the delivery of free upgrades under the Warmer Homes Scheme for Kilkenny households at risk of energy poverty. This means that 43 low-income households have received upgrades and those individuals and families are now living in warmer, healthier, more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills and lower emissions. That figure is up from 26 last year. 

“This half year report gives us a good snapshot of where our retrofitting programme is at, and it shows that we’re moving in the right direction. I know that Government intends to build on this progress in the coming months as the impact of initiatives such as the recently launched retrofit communications campaign and the low-cost retrofit loans take effect. We have to keep this trajectory going so that even more homes will be transformed over the coming months and years, and I would urge people to visit the SEAI website (www.seai.ie) to find out what supports might be available to them.”