Heat Pump Systems are being pushed as one of the potentially most effective ways to make Irish homes and businesses more energy efficient efficient

While they do not generate power directly in the same way that other renewable systems such as Solar PV do, heat pumps can be an excellent way to improve the energy efficiency of your home or business.

As they only make use of heat from natural sources, heat pumps can be a viable choice to lower your electricity bills and deliver reduced carbon emissions by reducing dependence on gas boilers or electric heaters.

With the government seeking to have hundreds of thousands of new and existing homes fitted with heat pumps by 2030 to meet climate obligations, there are many options for both residential and commercial parties to avail of a heat pump system grant.

Heat Pump Grants

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How Much Do Heat Pumps Cost

The cost of a heat pump system can vary greatly depending on the type of heat pump being installed, and the nature of your property.

An air source heat pump is typically the cheapest type of system due to the simplicity of the design, while ground and water source heat pumps come with a greater cost due to the additional material and labour costs that come with them.

Heat Pump System Type Estimated Cost Range
Air to Water Heat Pump €10,000 – €19,000
Air to Air Heat Pump €1,000 – €19,000
Ground to Water Heat Pump €15,000 – €28,000
Water to Water Heat Pump €15,000 – €28,000

Heat Pump Grant Sources

Multiple government agencies and other bodies in Ireland can provide energy upgrade grants for both homeowners and businesses to install heat pumps in their properties.

With heat pump systems seen as a popular choice for decarbonising the residential and commercial energy sectors, grants and other financial support are available from sources such as the SEAI, Enterprise Ireland, and Revenue Commissioners.

Grant Provider Scheme Name Property Type Heat Pump Usage
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Better Energy Homes Scheme Residential Space Heating
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Exeed Grant Scheme Commercial / Industrial / Public Use Space Heating / Industrial Applications
Local Enterprise Office Energy Efficiency Grant Industrial Manufacturing Heating Processes
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Support Scheme for Renewable Heat Commercial / Industrial / Agricultural / Public Sector Space Heating / Industrial Applications
Revenue Commissioners Accelerated Capital Allowance Sole Trader / Agricultural / Business Multiple

Heat Pump Assessment

Take our 90-second online assessment and we’ll determine if your home is well suited for a heat pump, if you will qualify for the heat pump grant and get you an exact quote for the heat pump and it’s installation.

SEAI Heat Pump Grant

The three main programmes for the SEAI grants differ in how much of the work is handled by the applicant as opposed to the contractor or SEAI, how much work is carried out, and the level of grant funding.

Grants which are part of the Better Energy Homes Scheme allow the homeowner greater control of home improvements by selecting individual grants for the home energy upgrades they want to have carried out on their property.

The property owner is responsible for the entire process from the initial grant application to selecting the SEAI registered contractor, seeing the works done once grant approval has been received, and submitting the paperwork for claiming the grant money.

Is a fully managed solution providing an easier method for people who are planning to carry out multiple energy upgrades at once, and those who wish to have less hassle than managing grant applications and their associated paperwork.

With the One Stop Shop, the applicant selects the contractor who will thereafter manage the entire process. This begins with a technical assessment of what home energy upgrade works will bring your home to the required B2 BER after works are completed.

After this, they will handle the entire grant approval process with the SEAI, the installation works, and paperwork after the fact.

Grants provide a range of home energy upgrades which are aimed at drastic improvements to the energy efficiency of households which are in receipt of certain welfare payments.

The upgrades, which will be recommended by an SEAI registered technical advisor after an inspection of the home in question, are fully paid for by the government, and all of the works are handled by a contractor also selected by the SEAI.

In order to qualify for this scheme the property in question must be the primary residence of the applicant, as well as built and occupied before 2006.

The person applying for the grant must also be in receipt of one of the following welfare payments:

  • Fuel Allowance
  • Jobseekers Allowance for more than 6 months, and have a child under 7.
  • Working Family Payment
  • One-Parent Family Payment
  • Domiciliary Care Allowance
  • Carers Allowance, and live with the person you are caring for
  • Disability Allowance for more than 6 months, and have a child under 7.
SEAI Heat Pump Grant

Grant Values

Heat Pump System Type Private Grant Value AHB GRant Value
Air to Water Apartment – €4,500 Apartment – €5,500
All Houses – €6,500 All Houses – €6,500
Ground to Water Apartment – €4,500 Apartment – €5,500
All Houses – €6,500 All Houses – €6,500
Water to Water  Apartment – €4,500 Apartment – €5,500
All Houses – €6,500 All Houses – €6,500
Air to Air Apartment – €3,500 Apartment – €4,000
All Houses – €3,500 All Houses – €4,000
Exhaust Air to Air Apartment – €4,500 Apartment – €5,500
All Houses – €6,500 All Houses – €6,500

Who Can Apply

Individual grants for a heat pump system are available for properties which were built and occupied prior to 2021, for both individual homeowners, private landlords, and approved housing bodies.

The One Stop Shop scheme is open to homes which were built and occupied prior to 2011, and have a preexisting BER of B3 or lower. They must also be able to achieve a B2 BER at least after the works are completed.

Lastly, the Fully Funded Energy Upgrade scheme requires that the home have been built and occupied prior to 2006. The date of occupation is determined by when the electricity meter was installed on the property. The house must also be owned and occupied by the person receiving the grant.

Additional grant support is available for Approved Housing Bodies above the level of what it provided to private homeowners seeking a home energy upgrade.

Heat-Pumps

Before You Apply

Before applying for a heat pump system grant, homeowners must first satisfy certain requirements if it was built prior to 2007. A Technical Assessment of the property must be carried out to determine if it is heat pump-ready.

This means that the property is well insulated enough, and has low enough heat loss, that it would not be wasteful to have a heat pump installed.

There is a separate €200 Technical Assessment Grant which is available from the SEAI to help cover the cost of this. This grant is only available in conjunction with the applying for a grant for a heat pump system.

The assessment must be carried out by an SEAI registered technical advisor who will recommend what, if any, improvements need to be made before applying for the grant.

If your home was built after 2007 then a technical assessment is not mandatory, as modern insulation methods in newer built homes typically ensure better thermal efficiency. Either a completed technical assessment or a self-declaration form can be submitted with the grant application.

Applying for the grant

Individual Energy Upgrades

  1. Have a home Technical Assessment carried out by a registered technical advisor.
  2. Choose an SEAI-registered contractor. It is recommended that you shop around for multiple quotes.
  3. Apply for the heat pump home energy upgrade online, via the post, or through a Better Energy Partner.
  4. Accept the grant offer. The grant must be accepted within 30 days of receiving it for it it be valid. No work should be carried out before accepting the offer.
  5. The heat pump must be installed within 8 months of when you accepted the offer.
  6. Have a fresh BER Assessment done on the property after the heat pump is installed.
  7. Submit a payment request along with a Declaration of Works Form and the BER Assessment.

One Stop Shop

Select from the list of SEAI registered providers, and they will assess whether your home qualifies for the scheme, what upgrades are applicable, and handle the entire construction and grant process.

Support Scheme for Renewable Heat

The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSHR) is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to provide financial support for businesses, farmers, district heating, public sector, and other non-residential applicants to make the shift to renewable energy heating sources.

One strand of the scheme includes a heat pump installation grant covering up to 40% of the cost of installation, with the exact level of support based on the design efficiency of the heat pump system.

The heat pump can be used for either space heating of a property, or to provide heat for manufacturing, industrial or other operational uses.

Heat Pump Assessment

Speak with a member of our heat pump team today!

  • Take our online heat pump assessment

  • Confirm your home is heat pump ready

  • We will process your heat pump grant application, and provide you with accurate quotes

EXEED Certified Scheme

The EXEED Certified Scheme offers up to €3 million in funding for large scale public and private enterprises undertaking a new build, major renovations, or energy improvements to a property which will deliver savings on carbon emissions.

Energy Efficiency Grant

The Local Enterprise Office Energy Efficiency Grant is aimed at businesses which are investing in more energy efficient equipment and processes.

It offers up to €5,000 in funding, up to 50% of the cost of the project. To qualify a business must have between 1 and 50 employees and a turnover above €30,000 each year.

Accelerated Capital Allowance

The Accelerated Capital Allowance is a tax relief scheme which allows farmers, sole traders, and businesses to claim tax relief against the cost of investing in energy efficient equipment for their business.

This scheme allows those paying corporation tax, or income tax on trading or professional services, to deduct the full cost of qualifying energy efficient equipment from their taxable profits in the relevant year.

In order to qualify for this tax relief, the equipment in question must be on the Triple E Register, and must also meet minimum expenditure requirements.

FAQs

If a registered contractor is carrying out their own project then they can still apply for the SEAI grant, but only the cost of materials will be eligible.

Heat pumps are primarily used for heating the internal space of a home in place of a boiler or electric heater, or creating hot water. They do this by raising the temperature of heat taken from an outside source and using it in radiators, underfloor heating, or a hot water cylinder.

Heat pumps are extremely energy efficient when compared with other methods of heating a home such as oil or gas boilers. In the simplest terms, a heat pump will produce four units of heat for every unit of electricity used in its operation.

A heat pump system typically costs between €500 and €1,000 to operate each year in Ireland, with air source units typically having greater operating costs due to the temperature of the air fluctuating more than the ground or water.

boiler faqs

Get In Touch Today!

Get in touch with us today to start finding out how much you can save for your home with a heat pump.

Our team of experts will be in touch to discuss your best options for your homes heat pump and available grants.

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