Solar Warmth is a grant-aided scheme offering new Phoenix Natural Gas customers and Reconnect applicants an additional £400 top up grant. It is limited to 50 grant payments from 1 October 2007 until 31 January 2008 and will assist customers who wish to install a high-efficiency natural gas condensing boiler alongside a Reconnect solar water heating panel installation.
The £400 grant from Phoenix is available alongside the existing Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment’s Reconnect solar panel grant of £1,125.00. This makes the total grant available for a combined system now £1,525.00.
Minister Dodds, speaking at the 11th Northern Ireland Gas Industry Conference at the Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick, said: “Solar Warmth provides an excellent opportunity for Northern Ireland to reap the benefits that combining natural gas and renewable technology can bring both for consumers, and in reducing Northern Ireland’s carbon emissions.
“I hope the scheme can build on the good work carried out to date through Reconnect and that it will encourage even more householders to integrate renewable technologies with the low carbon benefits of natural gas.”
The Reconnect scheme is administered by Action Renewables on behalf of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment.
Notes to Editors:
- Registrations for the Solar Warmth offer, which is limited to 50 grant payments, opens on October 1st 2007 and closes on January 31st 2008 or when all grants are allocated, whichever is sooner.
- The Reconnect Scheme is a DETI initiative and is one part of the Government’s £59.2 million Environment and Renewable Energy Fund (EREF) announced by the then Secretary of State, Peter Hain MP, on 27 February 2006. The aim of the EREF is to enhance and accelerate renewable energy development and deployment in Northern Ireland.
- Reconnect was launched as the Household Programme in July 2006 by Peter Hain, and re-branded as Reconnect in January 2007. It is administered by Action Renewables on behalf of the Department and offers grants to private homeowners of up to 50% of the cost of installing systems such as solar panels, small wind turbines, wood fuel boilers, and geothermal heat pumps.
- Media enquiries to DETI Press Office, Tel: 028 9052 9604
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