SEAI Grants

Due to the ever-growing climate crisis, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is supplying grants to homeowners to install sustainable heat sources in their homes. It is vital to our environment that we switch to greener energy sources. Heat pumps can be an incredibly effective way to heat your home at a low cost. At MasterTherm, we strive to help you find the most efficient heating solution for your home. We have many different types of heat pumps that may suit you depending on your surroundings and resources. 

What are heat pumps?

Heat pumps are heating systems that use renewable energy heating and cooling systems that are significantly cheaper to run than oil or gas boilers or chillers and have significantly lower carbon emissions.  Heat pump water heaters use a small amount of electricity (approximately 60-75% less than your traditional LPG or oil boilers and 40-50% less than with a natural gas boiler.) and a heat exchanger to convert energy from the environment into your building to be used as energy for heating and cooling.

This energy can be taken from the ground, a water source or the air. Over 70% of the heat generated by a heat pump is extracted from the earth. This can be from the air, ground or water, which means having a heat pump protects you from rising oil prices. To make your heat pump the most efficient, your house should be well-insulated to maintain a stable temperature throughout the day.

What heat pump should I get?

Different heat pumps are more suitable for certain buildings. There are a few things you must consider about your resources and suitability before you install a heat pump. MasterTherm is happy to answer any questions you may have, but in the meantime here is a list of positives a few points on our heat pumps:

All of our heat pumps have the following:

    • 7-year warranty – The robust and reliable design allows for an industry-leading 7-year warranty. An inverter drive allows the heat pump to perfectly match heat demand with the amount of heat produced thereby increasing efficiency and the lifespan of the system
    • Extremely quiet – New DC fan ensures minimal noise levels
    • Heating and Cooling – each heat pump can act as a heating and cooling system
    • Online controls – Internet connectivity allows for control of all units from your smart device, 24 hours per day
  • Save heat waste – Heat pumps decide whether to reuse heat or reject it. If heat is rejected then it is at the lowest possible temperature. This will maximise the cooling efficiency of the system.
    • Give you significant energy savings – MasterTherm allows building owners to reduce their heating bills significantly over the long term
  • Tailored to your specific needs – Our team will develop a solution designed and tailored to the specific needs of your building

Air-to-Water Heat Pump

Air-to-water heat pumps are the least expensive and the most convenient to install. Therefore, they are the most commonly used. 

Our Air-to-Water heat pumps all:

  • Have the highest price-performance ratio – Low rate to run with low installation cost makes it the fastest ROI
  • Easy to install – They don’t involve any natural resources except air
  • Universally applicable – is relevant and works all over the world
  • Cheapest installation cost – Because there are no earthworks involved they are easy to install
  • Include a backup electric boiler – in incase of frostbite or it is not generating enough heat for your liking
  • Lower efficiency in severe frosts – as there is no warmth from the air

Ground-to-Water Heat Pump

A ground-to-water heat pump is favoured in new buildings because they perform better with new insulation but may be more expensive to install.

Our Ground-to-Water heat pumps all:

  • Have a long service life – All heat pumps have a 7-year warranty but ground to water are the most resilient
  • Savings of up to 70% – underground is the most stable temperature of all
  • Stable heating output – so you can guarantee the ground source heat pump will always have warmth
  • Higher installation cost  – Because ground source energy requires earthworks the installation cost is higher
  • Earthworks – Earthworks are required to dig down into the ground for the pipe
  • Needs about 30m2 of land or a well  – is required to place the pump deep down into the earth

Water-to-Water Heat Pump

Our Water-to-Water heat pumps all:

  • High heating factor – The most efficient heat pump as groundwater is at a constant 10°c that is not affected by the temperature of the climate
  • Short payback period – it is the “hottest” energy source, therefore a fast payback period
  • Lower acquisition costs 
  • Most efficient 
  • Can save up to 80% – extremely low bills after installation
  • A smaller number of suitable sites – not all houses are suitable as they may not have the correct environment
  • Chemical composition requirements – they may not have the correct chemical balances

SEAI Grants 

Because Heat pumps are a renewable source of heating with lower energy consumption and therefore lower carbon emissions, SEAI is offering grants to encourage people to use them as a gas boiler replacement. SEAI is also offering grants for insulation (different grants for different sections of your home), solar energy and electric vehicles.

The grant covers several heat pump systems. These include air to water heat pump systems, ground source to water heat pump systems, exhaust air to water heat pump systems, water to water heat pump systems, air to air heat pump systems and grant money towards your technical assessment. The assessment is required before applying for a heat pump grant. 

Why are they offering money for your comfort? 

Yes, heat pumps provide unparalleled comfort and convenience to your home because you have constant control of your warmth. SEAI knows that people will always want this heat. So, they are providing financial aid so that we can have that comfort without it costing us our planet. Heat pumps are an incredible solution to the huge amount of CO2  that is created every day for hot water, refrigeration, air conditioning, and home heating and commercial heating. Though heating has the highest carbon emissions out of all energy-related CO2  it is not the highest overall. However, it is the only one that nearly everyone contributes to that they can change. 

Transport being the second-highest energy-related CO2  emission, the grand for electric vehicles could become vital to the safety of our planet in the next free years

Who can apply?

Anyone who owns a home that was built and occupied before 2021 can apply. The date your electricity was installed will tell them the date the home was occupied.

Before applying for a heat pump system grant you must ensure your house is well insulated and has low heat loss. This is to make sure your heat pump will work efficiently and not run up your electricity bills.

Grants are also available for business. This applies to commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating, public sector and other non-domestic heat users.

As heat pumps work best with well-insulated buildings, SEAI is also offering insulation grants. Installing installation to your building means that heat cannot escape through your floor, roof and walls. To make your building as efficient as possible we recommend double glazed windows too, as a lot of heat can escape through thin windows. 

Your house will then undergo a technical assessment by an SEAI registered Technical Advisor. They can advise you on what steps you need to take to make your home heat pump ready. 

SEAI offers a €200 grant for the technical assessment of your home. However, you can only receive this grant if you are also receiving a heat pump system grant. 

Why MasterTherm?

Heat pumps can be used in commercial settings, especially those that require heating and cooling. A MasterTherm heat pump solution can be an efficient way of repurposing heat energy that otherwise would have been wasted. This will make your company more sustainable and profitable.

MasterTherm heat pumps are ultra-quiet, have a 7-year warranty, give you lower heating bills and can be controlled easily from a tablet or phone using inverter technology.

We will design and tailor a personalised heating system to suit your industry needs. Whether it’s for a complex monitored heating and cooling system using rejected heat, or a central heating system with air-conditioning. MasterTherm will ensure that your business is getting the maximum benefit from your heat pump system.

If you’re looking for a heating and hot water solution for your building, we may suggest multiple heat pumps working together. If you are unsure about how to start the journey to renewables using heat pumps, contact us and we can start by creating a bespoke design for your heating system.