Better Energy Communities FAQ

Transcription

1 Better Energy Communities FAQ 1. Where can I find out more information on the programme? Can I apply as a single homeowner for this grant? Can non-energy poor homes apply? Would a standalone charitable organisation / community building be considered for funding? What is the closing date for applications? Is there a project completion deadline? Is the project co-ordinator role an allowable expense? Does the Applicant need to own the properties in question? I am a contractor can I act as the Lead Applicant What responsibilities does the Lead Applicant have? What % of funding is available for schools What is the SEAI / Department of Education stance on renewable energy for schools? Are post upgrade works BER costs eligible for support? Where walls of a home are a mixture of solid wall construction and cavity can different insulation measures be proposed? Can insulation of a section of a building be eligible for funding if there is an old and new section? Are Micro-generation measures eligible under BEC? Energy Performance contracts What are Energy Credits and how do they relate to my project? How do I calculate Energy Credits / savings? What happens to the credits if there is no Energy Service provider involved in the project? We would like to work with an Energy Provider but not sure which one? Participating Energy Supplier (PES) Role Where can I get finance for the project? Does SEAI recommend the ESCO model? Can an ESCO act as a lead applicant? If the facility is run by a not for profit organisation can they still avail of 50% grant aid even though the ESCO is a private entity? How do we present ESCO funding under the BEC application? We have submitted our Application, what happens next? When will if find out if I have grant approval?... 9 Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 1

2 30. When can I start works? Will SEAI make Site Inspections? My Letter of Offer is for a defined amount of kws savings to be achieved, however the completed project will not achieve this, will I be penalised? Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 2

3 1. Where can I find out more information on the programme? The full programme Application Guidelines are available on our website here 2. Can I apply as a single homeowner for this grant? No. This programme is designed to bring groups of homes in an area or community together, to get works done together and so achieve efficiencies and value for money. You may however be eligible to apply for other SEAI grant Schemes for example Better Energy Warmers Homes or the Better Energy Homes here 3. Can non-energy poor homes apply? Yes. If you have a group of homes where occupants may be a mix of energy poor and nonenergy poor then you can apply for the grant with this group. Different grant rates will be available depending on the status of the occupant (see FAQ on What level of support is available ). It is important to note that the percentage of energy poor homes in your group should be 70%, but must be more than 50% to be eligible for funding. Sheltered housing schemes maybe considered as energy poor in the evaluation process. However the Innovative Finance strand will not have this restriction and will target nonenergy poor homes. Note Only homes constructed before 2006 are eligible for funding for Would a standalone charitable organisation / community building be considered for funding? We are looking for projects that span a number of buildings / facilities / amenities that benefit the community and that are replicable. This is to enable projects to benefit from economies of scale and to develop models that can be expanded throughout the country. The applicant should look at - The nature of the works proposed for the building, - Are there any other buildings / amenities nearby that could avail of the same kind of measures? - Could the building be identified as being part of a network (i.e. linked with a similar charitable building in a different town / county and could energy efficiency measures be carried out across that network 5. What is the closing date for applications? No applications will be accepted after noon 20 th March Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 3

4 6. Is there a project completion deadline? The deadline for project completion is no later than 30 th October The project should be completed and the required paper work submitted to SEAI by this date. All funds will be allocated and paid in 2015 except as otherwise agreed. Any request for change to scope of works or must be received in writing by latest 28 th August Please note project extensions will not be granted in Is the project co-ordinator role an allowable expense? The fee for project co-ordination is an eligible expenditure item under the programme. The objective is to support community groups to have experienced and qualified project managers on board who will be dedicated to the project, deliver it in a professional manner, and more importantly, will be SEAI s main (if not sole) point of contact with the project. SEAI will require evidence of invoices to and payment by the Applicant for this to be an allowable expense. For project management costs to be considered eligible for support, they must not exceed 5% of total eligible project costs. If the number of partners exceeds five, or the project is of a complex / innovative nature, a higher % may be considered at the discretion of SEAI. However the maximum project management cost that will be considered is 10% of the total eligible project costs. Please note that internal staff costs will not be accepted as project management costs. All verified and eligible expenditure will be recompensed at the grant rate. Example: Total project cost (eligible and verified) = 500,000 SEAI grant rate = 40% Maximum eligible project management costs 5% = 25,000 SEAI provides 40% funding = 10, Does the Applicant need to own the properties in question? Any work carried out by a tenant would have to be in-accordance with their lease agreement, and with the consent of the landlord of the property. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 4

5 9. I am a contractor can I act as the Lead Applicant We would advise that you partner with another organisation e.g. Local Authority, Community based, Voluntary or Local Business who own or manage the buildings to carry out the works. They would act as the Lead Applicant and you can act as the Project Co-ordinator. For SEAI to approve payment of the grant - Invoices must be addressed to the Grantee or the Beneficiaries named on the Grant Agreement. - Invoices must be dated after the date of grant approval, any orders, purchases or works which pre-date grant approval are ineligible. - Invoices which are in the name of a company which is not the Grantee or Beneficiary in the Grant Agreement are ineligible. 10. What responsibilities does the Lead Applicant have? The Lead Partner signs the letter of offer and agrees to all the T&C on behalf of the project partners. They agree to provide access for inspection to all aspects of the project, monitoring and verification requirements, and take responsibility to distribute funds to each of the partners. 11. What % of funding is available for schools Public Sector projects are eligible for between 30% and 50% depending on the quality of the projects. Schools are eligible for up-to 30% funding and some schools may have charity status and would be eligible for up-to 50% funding. However to receive in excess of 30% funding, the project should be proposing a long term upgrades, good project management, with excellent replication value and have an active Green Team. Schools must ensure that compliance is achieved with regard to public procurement requirements for works carried out as part of the BEC programme. 12. What is the SEAI / Department of Education stance on renewable energy for schools? Further information can be found here on SEAI s website 13. Are post upgrade works BER costs eligible for support? Yes they are, BER costs must be clearly identified in the application. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 5

6 14. Where walls of a home are a mixture of solid wall construction and cavity can different insulation measures be proposed? In the case of Insulation work for homes, an optimal whole-element solution must be implemented. So if it is proposed to fill cavities as part of the upgrade work but there is an extension that does not have a cavity, an alternative insulation method should be proposed for that section of the home. However credits for the upgrade will only be attributed to the majority solution, e.g. the cavity fill in this case. 15. Can insulation of a section of a building be eligible for funding if there is an old and new section? Energy savings would need to be verified and justify the condition of the newer section (e.g. that it is up to, or close to, regulations). 16. Are Micro-generation measures eligible under BEC? Primarily the SEAI s suite of Better Energy programmes aims to retrofit Ireland s building stock to high standards of energy efficiency. The emphasis is on energy efficiency. The BEC programme is aimed at communities, and generally we would be looking for a diverse mix of building types (community halls, clubs, public buildings small businesses as well as dwellings) that would constitute a community or network. The first priority under the scheme is to reduce the overall energy demand of the community and then look at ways of how the remaining demand might be met from more efficient sources. So for a project to be considered, you would need a number of buildings, with at least some non-domestic included, a programme for delivering and quantifying energy efficiency measures, a clear plan on how the community would benefit, then micro-generation measures would be eligible. 17. Energy Performance contracts Energy contracting means paying for improved energy performance, achieved through energy savings and/or energy supply. Developing and delivering an energy efficiency/supply investment project essentially consists of 5 stages. The first three stages cover project preparation, while the remaining two stages address procurement and implementation. This represents a best practice approach to scoping, evaluating a project, and for determining the best contracting route - be it energy contracting or not - and ensures that the best financial basis is established, while delivering value for money for the public sector and others. An explanation on the different types of contracts, routes to project development, sources of finance, support and guidance for projects in public and commercial sectors can be found here SEAI has the necessary toolkits and tailored supports to help you deliver energy efficient projects. To find out how we can assist you please contact us at energycontracting@seai.ie An ESCO is an energy service company. Using this model the ESCO will put up capital for retrofits then sell power / heat back to client at a rate that helps pay off the investment cost of the upgrade works. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 6

7 18. What are Energy Credits and how do they relate to my project? Energy Credits are the energy savings achieved on completion of the project. Energy Credits are only relevant to a project if an energy supplier is involved as a project partner. In accordance with this, the lead applicant on the project may give permission to an Energy Supplier who is a project partner, to count the Energy savings achieved against their Energy Target. This permission may only be given before the project commences. Once this permission is given, SEAI will liaise directly with the energy Supplier on all matters relating to the credits. Only Energy suppliers listed on the project application form submitted on or before the 20 th March may avail of the credits. 19. How do I calculate Energy Credits / savings? In the case of measures applied to domestic buildings, they will be those indicated on SEAI website. Please note to claim domestic energy saving credits, the applicant will be required to collect the MPRN s and BER s of the relevant dwellings. In the case of non-domestic works, applicants should utilise calculation engines provided on the Business section of SEAI website where appropriate and in other cases provide clarity with regard to the calculation methodology utilised in arriving at savings outlined. The expected impact on the Building Energy Rating and / or Display Energy Certificate can be used in the calculations All of the savings and reductions are potentially eligible to be considered as energy credits. They only get converted to credits once the relevant work is completed and verified. The primary energy conversion for electricity is 2.5 and for thermal (including renewable thermal) the multiplier is What happens to the credits if there is no Energy Service provider involved in the project? If there is no Energy Service provider involved, energy savings will be reported as part of a National Energy Savings. 21. We would like to work with an Energy Provider but not sure which one? A list of the Participating Energy Suppliers can found here on the SEAI website 22. Participating Energy Supplier (PES) Role If the PES is to be awarded the energy credits from a project they need to be included on the Application form as partner and involved in the project from the beginning. We will need to know the value of the support they are providing a description of how they have assisted in the delivery of the energy savings. There are a number of ways in which Participating Energy Suppliers can be involved in a project; financial contribution, project management expertise, Materials, Installation Works, Monitoring and Verification, Energy Audits or Project Advice/Investment Information. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 7

8 The applicant should use the predicted energy savings from the project as potential energy credits as leverage in their negotiations with the energy supply companies. If aspects of the project change or components drop out the final credits awarded may be less than those that were predicted at the start. So an energy supply company may decide to wait until they have all the credits in the bag before they make a final payment for the credits. 23. Where can I get finance for the project? SOCIAL FINANCE Loan finance known as Social Finance maybe available to community, voluntary and charitable organisations, and social enterprises through e.g. Clann Credo Social Finance delivers resources to communities and enterprises overlooked by conventional outlets and ensures that all investments produce a social gain or benefit. All funding recipients are assessed first on their capacity to deliver meaningful benefit to either the people or the community they serve and then on their ability to repay the loans. Projects with Sustainable Energy benefits are considered a social gain and therefore can be considered. ENERGY SERVICE COMPANY (ESCO) An organisation may establish an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) with an ESCO who provides the investment for an energy saving project, with the investment being repaid out of the reduced energy costs as a result of the energy savings made. More information on Energy Contracting can be found on the SEAI website. 24. Does SEAI recommend the ESCO model? An ESCO will typically put up capital for retrofits and then sell power / heat back to client at a rate that helps pay off their investment. SEAI are encouraging the use of ESCO and Energy Contracting within BEC projects. However SEAI would need to be satisfied that there are genuine savings (in cash as well as energy) for the clients SEAI will need to consider how the ESCO is structured and the applicant should note that evidence of up front funding will be required as part of the evaluation process. 25. Can an ESCO act as a lead applicant? Yes they can however for labour costs to be an eligible cost the upgrade works would have to be carried out by another contactor. Where the ESCO is a lead applicant they can also be a beneficiary. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 8

9 26. If the facility is run by a not for profit organisation can they still avail of 50% grant aid even though the ESCO is a private entity? Yes - the grant support percentage is based on the use of the facility that is being upgraded. Please remember not-for-profit organisations are eligible for up-to 50% funding, and are encouraged to seek/ leverage funding from other sources 27. How do we present ESCO funding under the BEC application? The ESCO procures the works, and pays for them in full. The building user will then repay the ESCO over time as per the contract. We would have to see confirmation that an ESCO is in place. With regard to EPRP and Energy Contracting, please note that grant support is on the basis of costs incurred and paid for by 30 th October We have submitted our Application, what happens next? Each application will be reviewed by SEAI evaluation panel and scored against the following criteria: - Value for Money - Partnership - Innovation - Quality and Delivery Grant aid will be awarded to projects which score highest on these criteria and meet the minimum criteria. Depending on the level of grant being requested, the assessment may need to include review by SEAI board members (any project requesting more than 250,000 in grant aid must be reviewed by the Board of SEAI). Once the application is deemed successful a letter of offer will be issued. 28. When will if find out if I have grant approval? SEAI will endeavour to have first letters of offers out by the end of May If approved, a Grant Offer will be issued to the Applicant. The Grant Offer will only become valid upon receipt of acceptance of offer through a signed Grant Agreement which must be returned to SEAI within 14 days of date of issue. The Grant, once approved, is only payable in respect of the approved itemised eligible costs identified in the Application Form and outlined in the Grant Agreement. SEAI s prior written consent is required by 28 th August to approve any changes to the itemised eligible costs. 29. When can I start works? Works cannot commence until the grant offer has been made. Works started before this date will not be eligible for grant payment. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 9

10 30. Will SEAI make Site Inspections? SEAI will carry out inspections, in advance or following completion of works for compliance with the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement. Grantees will be notified by SEAI prior to such inspections. It is important to note that, under the Terms and Conditions of the grant, Grantees must ensure that access can be provided to all premises identified on the Grant Agreement for inspections within seven days of the initial request save in exceptional circumstances demonstrated to the satisfaction of SEAI. 31. My Letter of Offer is for a defined amount of kws savings to be achieved, however the completed project will not achieve this, will I be penalised? SEAI should be notified before 29 th August of any proposed changes to the approved project for any revised works / costs to be eligible. These will be considered on a case by case basis. Where saving levels have not been achieved, or all the works not completed to a satisfactory standard SEAI reserve the right to reduce the grant funding pro-rata. Better Energy Communities 2015 FAQ v0.1 Page 10