PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Local Energy Agencies for Peripheral Regions This project proposes to create 3 Local Energy Agencies in the North and West of Ireland to support “integrated home renovation services”. Our target region includes counties Donegal, Leitrim & Sligo west county Galway. The significant challenges of meeting our climate action targets, combined with the increasing cost of heating our homes, are often exacerbated in peripheral regions. Particular factors include dispersed and older homes, a high reliance on oil and solid fuels and a fragmented supply chain. One of the key Climate Action targets in Ireland is to retrofit 500,000 homes by 2030. While government supports are improving, the main investors in reaching this target are the homeowners themselves. Therefore it is crucial that this investment decision is made as clear and straightforward as possible. The Local Energy Agencies will help homeowners to understand the best options for them in terms of upgrades, support routes and supply of home renovation services. In addition to this, the Local Energy Agencies will work with the local supply chain of building energy assessors, retrofit contractors and installers to work toward a partnerships for a more cohesive supply of home renovation services. This will help us to optimise the benefits of the project by increasing employment within the region. Our aim is to build momentum in home retrofitting in our region, working with both the homeowners and supply chain to create a continuous pipeline of neighbourhood based projects. All homeowners should have the opportunity to invest in making their homes warmer, cheaper to heat and more valuable.