Northern Ireland Grant information
The Reconnect programme is the grant programme for householders in Northern Ireland.
Reconnect opened for applications on 24th July 2006, and it aims to assist at least 4,000 private households to install up to two of the following technologies: solar hot water, photovoltaic (PV), wood fuelled boilers, wood pellet stoves, ground source heating, hydro electric turbines or wind turbines. The total funding allocated to this programme, over two years, is £8m.
Grants close 31st March 2008
The table below shows the grant levels available for each technology:
|
Technology |
Reconnect Grant |
Solar Photovoltaic |
£3,000 per kWp installed (up to a maximum of £15k and subject to an overall 50% limit of installed cost (inc. VAT)) |
Wind Turbines |
£2,000 per kW (up to a maximum of £8k and subject to an overall 50% limit of installed cost (inc. VAT) |
Small Hydro |
£2,000 per kW (up to a maximum of £8k and subject to an overall 50% limit of installed cost (inc. VAT) |
Solar Thermal Hot water |
£1,125 regardless of size subject to an overall 50% limit (inc. VAT) |
Ground / water source
heat pumps |
£3,000 regardless of size, subject to an overall 40% limit (inc. VAT) |
Air source heat pumps |
£2400 regardless of size, subject to an overall 40% limit (inc. VAT) |
Pellet stoves / room heater |
£1,500 regardless of size, subject to an overall 50% limit (inc. VAT) |
Wood fuelled boiler system |
£3,250 regardless of size, subject to an overall 50% limit (inc. VAT) |
Other available grant programmes
Low Carbon Buildings Programme
The Low Carbon Buildings Programme is a UK wide renewable energy grant scheme which is open to residents of Northern Ireland. Details can be found on the Low Carbon Buildings Programme website.
Applicants to the Reconnect Programme are permitted to apply for additional technologies through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme providing they are not applying for the same technology. All applications are cross-checked.
Please note you will not be able to access funding from both of these government funds for the same renewable technology installation.
NIE PV Top-Up Scheme
PV applications to the Reconnect Programme or the Low Carbon Buildings Programme will be eligible for a 15% top-up grant from Northern Ireland Electricity. This will be at a rate of £900 per kWp to a maximum of £4,500 and is open to community/non-profit organisations in addition to householders. NIE will administer the top up grant and application forms for the top up will be posted out once the Reconnect grant has been claimed. For more information see the NIE Your Energy website.
NIE Help With Hydro
This programme is to help encourage the development of small-scale hydro schemes. Householders can apply for a grant of £1,000 per kWe, up to a maximum of £5,000, whichever is smaller. This grant is only available to hydro schemes in Northern Ireland, and it is only for new schemes – it will not be paid retrospectively. For more information see the NIE Your Energy website. |
