Calor Gas is to offer customers a home energy grant, as part of the government’s Better Energy programme, launched in April.

Calor will deliver gas to people who live in the country, by filling a bulk storage tank at their home.

There are over 600,000 homes in rural Ireland that cannot access the natural gas network.

The tank can be placed underground, as required.

Calor Gas says the grant is worth up to €1,000.

It comes after last month’s decision by The Commission for Energy Regulation to back a 22 per cent increase in Bord Gáis prices.

That increase was six per cent lower that the increase suggested by the gas and electricity provider itself.

The regulator is monitoring wholesale gas prices and conducting public consultations, before making a final decision this month.

The CER said then that the increase was “unavoidable”.

Meanwhile, Calor is also introducing a new One-Stop-Shop service to help customers move from oil to liquefied petroleum gas.

Full details of Calor’s One-Stop-Shop service and Home Energy Grant can be found at www.calorgas.ie