Thousands apply for green living grants with gas prices set to soar by 30%

THOUSANDS of householders are snapping up grants under a Government scheme aimed at encouraging green living.

However, many others face the possibility of a further steep rise in gas prices.

The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources said it had been inundated with applications for grants the Greener Homes scheme, which was launched earlier this year.

However, the Green Party yesterday demanded the Government makes a more determined effort to reduce dependency on gas and coal. It warned that gas customers could see a 30% rise in prices because of market changes.

In the eight weeks since the renewable energy scheme was launched, Sustainable Energy Ireland received 2,500 applications for grant aid — over half of which related to heat pumps.

About 725 applications involved wood chip and wood pellet boilers, while 500 applications related to solar panels.

Another electricity support scheme begins on June 1, with the aim of providing a further 400MW of renewable energy capacity at a cost of €119 million, over the next 15 years.

While the Government said its green energy policies were on track, the Green Party said a gas price increase was inevitable after Bord Gáis presented new information to an Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources yesterday.

Green Party energy spokesman Eamon Ryan said the Government needed to reduce its dependency on gas and oil.

“The average gas price for 2007 is already well established at double the price from last year and, with the release of today’s figures, it is hard to see how the Commissioner for Energy Regulation (CER) will refuse the 30% price increase that Bord Gáis is looking for,” he said.

The Green Party said that with half the country’s electricity generated from burning gas, the ESB could be expected to seek a further 10% price rise from the regulator to cover its own fuel bills.