The available budget for the years 2022-2023 is expected to exceed €20 million and has been secured from the Recovery and Resilience Plan "Cyprus, Tomorrow".
Energy[/B] Minister Natasha Pilidou, in her intervention, stressed that the budget increase and the improvement of the provisions of the Plan, fall within the huge effort the Government is making to support households to reduce their energy costs. As the Minister said, the Plan will help even more people to install photovoltaic panels and implement energy saving measures to reduce the cost of their electricity bill.
"Increasing the penetration of renewable energy sources and the energy upgrade of buildings contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the National Strategy for the rapid transition to green energy, which provides, among other things, for the gradual decoupling from fossil fuels and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions," the minister noted, according to the ministry's statement.
The Grant Scheme to encourage the use of RES and EE in existing dwellings will have retroactive effect, in such a way as to ensure the smooth continuation of the corresponding previous scheme which had expired on 20/12/2021. The period of application will be until 20/12/2023 or until the available budget is exhausted.
As reported by Energy Service official George Tsiametis at the meeting, the Plan, which is currently under final approval by the relevant agencies involved with the Recovery and Resilience Plan, will provide a grant for the installation of a photovoltaic system in existing homes and/or for roof insulation.
According to the plan, beneficiaries are natural persons. The installation of photovoltaic systems concerns buildings that have obtained a building permit or planning permission before 1/1/2017. Each kilowatt is subsidised at €375 and the total subsidy that can be guaranteed is €1,500. Under the policy to support mountain communities, the amounts are increased by 50%. Vulnerable households are subsidised at €1000 per KW, with a maximum grant of €5,000.
In addition, roof insulation is available for buildings that have obtained a building permit or planning permission before 12/12/2007. The grant can amount to 45% of eligible costs, with a maximum grant amount of €2,250. Under the policy to support mountain communities the amounts are increased by 50%.
Note that the combination of the two, i.e. installation of photovoltaic panels and roof insulation, concerns buildings with a building permit or planning permission before 12/12/2007. In this case for roof insulation 55% of the eligible costs are covered with a maximum grant amount of €2,750 and for the installation of a photovoltaic system an amount of €450 per installed KW is subsidised, with a maximum grant amount of €1,800. In the context of the policy to support mountain communities, the amounts are increased by 50%.
As Mr. Tsiametis noted, the Plan will be implemented by the RES and EE Fund and in the new notice the grants are increased by 50%, while the amounts granted to both vulnerable households and mountain communities are also increased.
Giving specific examples of the performance of the measures, he mentioned that in an indicative house with a roof area of 130 sq.m. in which thermal insulation of the roof will be carried out based on the required criteria of the Plan at a cost of €5,600, it is estimated that there will be annual energy savings equivalent to 6,782 Kwh, which corresponds to €1,300/year. Based on the amount of the subsidy estimated at €2,250 and for mountainous areas at €3,375, the payback can be achieved in 2.5 and 1.7 years respectively.
Furthermore, the installation of a 4 KW photovoltaic system with an indicative investment cost of €5,000 and an annual grid usage cost of €360 per year can bring savings on the electricity bill of €800 per year. With an estimated subsidy of €1,500 and in the mountains €2,250, the payback period will be 4.5 and 3.5 years respectively.
The indicative cost for carrying out the combination of both investments, i.e. roof insulation and photovoltaics, is €10,000. With a sponsorship of €4,450 and in the mountains €6,825, the payback will be in 3.5 and 2 years respectively as there will be savings in energy consumption of €1,500 per year, Mr. Tsiametis noted.
€600 thousand. for solar water heaters
The participants of the meeting were also informed about the grant scheme of €600 thousand - increased by 35% for the installation or replacement of solar hot water systems in residential buildings, which was announced from 10 May 2022.
The beneficiaries of the scheme are exclusively natural persons and the subsidies concern investments in existing dwellings where the application for a building permit or planning permission was submitted before 21.12.2007.
The scheme subsidises integrated solar systems (cylinder and solar panels), the installation of which is carried out by certified installers.
The amount of the grant is €450 per house/system (up from €350 last year, an increase of 28.5%), while for houses in mountainous areas the amount is doubled to €900 (from €700 last year - an increase of 28.5%).
It should be noted that solar hot water systems can provide 70% of the annual hot water needs of a dwelling, with no operating costs and minimal maintenance, contributing significantly to the reduction of electricity costs.
A video of the workshop is posted on the Department of Energy, Trade and Industry's YouTube channel, where you can learn about all the provisions of the Plan, and you can download the presentations from www.meci.gov.cy, where the Plan's Guide will soon be posted.
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
