Improving the energy efficiency of your home is one of the simplest ways of saving energy and combating rising energy prices. Getting such measures installed may not cost as much as you think. Finding out what grants and discounts are available is easy.

NI Energy Advice

NI Energy Advice offers independent and impartial energy advice to domestic householders in Northern Ireland - plus referrals to energy grants and other sources of help.

Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme

The Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme fund is collected from all Northern Ireland electricity customers through a public service obligation - Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme.

Grant to replace your boiler

The Boiler Replacement Scheme is available in Northern Ireland only. It helps owner-occupiers to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Criteria and amount payable

The scheme is open to owner-occupiers whose gross household income is less than £40,000 and who have an inefficient boiler of at least 15 years old.

You will only be eligible to replace your existing gas boiler if the gas connection to your property was made at least 15 years ago.

The allowance does not apply to Economy 7 heating, stoves used only for cooking, back boilers or room heaters.

The grant of up to £1,000, dependent on total gross annual income, is available to help with:

• replacing an inefficient boiler with a more energy efficient condensing oil or gas boiler,
• switching from oil to gas
• switching to a wood pellet boiler

The amount of grant payable will depend on total gross income. For those earning less than £20,000 the grant is £700 to replace the boiler but will rise to £1,000 if controls are also being installed.

For those earning over £20,000 but less than £40,000 the grant is £400 for the boiler but will rise to £500 if controls are installed.

You must receive written approval from the Housing Executive before you replace your old boiler.

NI Energy Advice

NI Energy Advice offers independent and impartial energy advice to domestic householders in Northern Ireland - plus referrals to energy grants and other sources of help.

Installers

Boiler installers should normally be accredited to a relevant trade body. However, householders can use an installer of their choice.

For gas installations the installer must be 'gas safe' registered.

If you are installing a gas boiler for the first time you may also be eligible for additional help from the gas companies. You will need to contact the individual gas company before you carry out any work, as this aspect of the scheme will not be administered by the Housing Executive.

Those who think they may be eligible can contact the Boiler Replacement Scheme team within the Housing Executive - Boiler Replacement Scheme.

Grants to generate your own energy

Finding out what grants and discounts are available is easy. Your community may even be able to get a grant to generate its own energy. This is known as microgeneration.

Microgeneration

Microgeneration is when individuals, businesses and communities generate heat and power to meet their own needs. Microgeneration systems use renewable resources, like the wind, the sun and water, to create energy.

There may be grants available in your area for communities wanting to install microgeneration technologies. You can find out what is available from NI Energy Advice.

The NIRO closed to new large scale onshore wind on 31 March 2016 to new small scale onshore wind on 30 June 2016 and to all other technologies on 31 March 2017 - with exceptions to those projects that met the criteria for grace periods. Renewable generation.

Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO)

If you generate electricity from a renewable source, the NIRO allows you to claim Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for every megawatt hour of electricity you generate.

ROCs can then be sold to electricity supply companies. Also, as a generator you can enter into an agreement with an electricity supplier to sell any electricity to them that you do not use.

NI Energy Advice

NI Energy Advice offers independent and impartial energy advice to domestic householders in Northern Ireland - plus referrals to energy grants and other sources of help. Click here to access the service.