A cost-effective energy solution for off-grid homes

Upgrade your home to B1 or more, for less than €12,000 through a mixed technology approach. Install a renewable ready gas boiler for an efficient and cost-effective solution with Calor Gas Ireland.

As spring arrives many homeowners will be planning to make home improvements in the summer months. One of the most important parts of any major refurbishment project is choosing the right heating system.

It can be hard to know how to go about getting the best value for money when choosing a heating system. Many systems in homes and business across Ireland, particularly older ones, are less efficient, which can lead to unnecessary costs and excess carbon emissions. The SEAI indicate that the average total capital cost to upgrade a home from an average BER rating of F to an average A3 rating is over €60,000 – beyond the financial reach of most rural households.

The research looked at a D1 BER rated one-story bungalow operating on kerosene oil with pre-existing baseline renovations complete including roof insulation, floor insulation and double glazing.

It showed that a BER uplift up to B1 was achievable by switching to a renewable ready gas boiler with additional fabric energy upgrades. This included cavity wall insulation and adding room thermostat temperature controls. The combined upfront cost was €11,331, before individual SEAI energy grants are applied.

Switching to a renewable ready gas boiler allows homes and businesses to significantly reduce their emissions, without a deep retrofit of the property, removing the cost barriers to warmer and more energy-efficient properties.

Renewable ready gas boilers offer a long-term, cost-effective pathway to decarbonisation, through the gradual introduction of renewable LPG, including BioLPG and rDME, into the fuel mix over time. This will allow off-grid homes and businesses to significantly reduce carbon footprint, without expensive deep retrofitting or significant changes to the property’s heating system.

A switch to a renewable ready gas boiler, can be combined with existing individual SEAI energy upgrade grants, to support additional energy efficiency work on homes as required. This could include:

Upgrading the home’s heating controls, wall and attic insulation and windows.
Installation of solar panels.

A combination of these measures can deliver an uplift on the BER rating of a home, at a much lower cost compared to a full deep retrofit for heat pump installation.

These upgrades can be carried out in stages, allowing households to manage the cost over time and avoid the extra hassle of relocating when renovations and retrofitting is taking place which is required with heat pump installation.

For more information on switching to LPG or BioLPG, log on to www.calorgas.ie or call ROI: +353 (0) 1 5332009, NI: +44 2890 7353 48