Gardiner says Government Green Grant initiative could see Northern Ireland double renewable energy sources
Samuel Gardiner MLA, Ulster Unionist Spokesman on the Environment, today welcomed Government plans to make £60 million available in Northern Ireland in grants to householders to switch to alternative energy such as solar heating and geothermal energy.
“This is a second major step by Government in the right direction, following the announcement that the Stormont estate is to be heated using local renewable energy sources such as willow, supplied by local farmers.”
“I would encourage householders to avail themselves of the opportunity this offers. A properly installed solar heating system could provide as much as a quarter of their electricity needs. My Assembly colleague Rev Robert Coulter MLA was involved in the installation of just such a system at the Ecos Centre in Ballymena. People could see it in operation there.”
“This new system of grants could be the breakthrough we have been waiting for in households here using more renewable energy sources. At present, almost 5% of electricity used is generated from renewable resources. If we could double that figure it would make a big difference to our need to import oil and gas in an increasingly volatile and uncertain market,” said Mr Gardiner.