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By Marcella Maher Keogh
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Page 1: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

By Marcella Maher Keogh

Page 2: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Marcella Maher Keogh PM for DUET & ECT Architectural Technician

Building Energy Assessor

Project Manager

Internship with DUET in 2012

DUET are a group of Volunteers looking to generate activity in their community

Role facilitated by NTLP

Page 3: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

DUET A meeting with

Tipperary Energy Agency to discuss options.

It was decided that conservation rather than generation would provide better outcomes to the community. A survey of homes in the community was required to establish Insulation levels, types of fuels being used by house holders, cost of Energy per household in the community.

Page 4: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Survey Report

Oct 2011

Community -Core

Economy

Economy

Culture and

Tourism

Page 5: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Survey Results

€1,000,000 per year spent on energy ◦ €1000 per person

◦ €2,500 per household

A 25% reduction in energy usage could save the parish €250,000

60% (200 out of 349) cited financial savings as their most important reason for investing in energy efficiency

Page 6: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

BETTER ENERGY COMMUNITIES

SEAI launched a Grant under the Better Energy Communities Pilot scheme -2012

Drombane Upperchurch Energy Team were successful

Page 7: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Energy Team Achievements in 2012 & 2013

A total of 50 houses upgraded and 2 community buildings

Total cost of project €400,000

Grant from SEAI €300,000

Page 8: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Energy Communities Tipperary -2014

Other Communities to replicate Drombane Project

Kilcommon / Rearcross

Lorrha / Rathcabbin

Birdhill

Page 9: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Energy Team Achievements in 2014

A total of 110 houses and 2 community buildings

Total cost of project €1,078,000

Grant from SEAI €840,000

Approx 1.5 GWh/ year saved

Page 10: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Challenges Project Timeline – Often tight

Admin seemed heavy and time consuming

Contractors letting go good tradesmen – work starts in June / July till November

Possibility of rolling grants – 2/3 year program – with yearly targets – or overlap on projects

Page 11: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Challenges Funding / Bridging Finance for Community groups

Banks and Credit unions not interested

Clan Credo – interest @ 6% - max lending is €500,000 to one group

Cost of application to new communities – professional required to do the application for communities

Page 12: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Challenges Non SEAI registered contractors allowed

Contractors have a learning curve to comply with SEAI regulations for the BEC scheme – meet standards

KSN inspectors – varying opinions on the standards – this needs to be the same across the board

Page 13: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Challenges Recruiting houses – 1st year was the hardest – now

there is a waiting list in the parishes

Convincing “Can Pay” homes to invest more money – 30% grant could be increased – bonus money for 3 or more items upgraded

Community Committees – dealing with people from all different backgrounds – decision making slow

Page 14: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Positives Application stage has improved – better cross checks

Milestone payments – keep interest rates down

SEAI Staff very helpful

Local contractors – homeowners happier because they know and trust contractors

160 houses retrofitted over 3 years – a lot of these houses would never have been touched

Page 15: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Positives Excellent program – bringing life back into our

communities

People have more comfort in their homes

Provide local employment

Significant cost saving in the community

Significant reductions in carbon emissions

A win win for the individuals, the community and the country.

First project of its kind in the country.

Page 16: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

Government input

More money available to the BEC program – reduced by half this year – with 75 applications received

Energy Credit unit costs could be increased -more finance from Energy Providers

Tax breaks for contractors willing to provide bridging finance to communities to run projects instead of lending from banks / Clan credo.

Page 17: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

The Future People are willing to get involved – stimulating work

and energy efficiency savings for the country

Doing it from the bottom up – communities feel ownership of the projects – more involvement.

2015 project included 8 communities

Project is going from strength to strength – and can be replicated throughout the country.

Page 18: Better Energy Communities - Marcella Maher Keogh

By Marcella Maher Keogh