- Should I buy solar panels if I live in Ireland?
- How much do solar panels cost in Ireland?
- Can you get government grants for solar panels in Ireland?
- Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant
- Clean Export Guarantee
- Do solar panels work in Irish weather?
- How many people have solar panels in Ireland?
- Next steps
- Summary
- Solar panels will save you €1,000 per year, on average
- Government grants cut the typical cost of solar panels by €1,800
- A three-bedroom household will usually break even in about 6 or 7 years
Solar panels can cut your energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint and increase your energy independence – not to mention solar panel costs are lower than ever.
And this is the best time for people in Ireland to go solar.
Electricity prices have gone through the roof – a government grant can cut the cost of your installation by thousands of euros, and energy suppliers are set to start paying you for your excess power.
We’ll go into more detail later, but grants, such as the Solar Electricity Grant or the Solar Water Heating Grant, can help you save thousands of euros on the installation. For this reason, it is worth your time to look into them.
If you’re keen to get started with solar panels, use our easy-to-navigate tool. Enter a few quick details and our trusted suppliers will be in touch with free quotes for you to compare.
Should I buy solar panels if I live in Ireland?
You should absolutely buy solar panels if you live in Ireland.
Electricity prices have risen to an eye-watering 34.38c per kWh as of February 2025, meaning the average three-bedroom house is set to pay €1,404.55 per year for electricity.
Solar panels can provide free clean electricity, saving you, on average, €1,000 per year and reducing your annual carbon footprint.
This is the time to act, too. Government grants have cut the cost of installing solar panels by thousands of euros, meaning the typical household will save 28% if they buy now.
One example is the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Solar PV Scheme, which is designed to help homeowners and landlords reduce their PV installation costs.
How much do solar panels cost in Ireland?
One way to estimate the cost of solar panels in Ireland in 2024 is to multiply each kW by €1,200–€1,600. While not wholly accurate, this calculation can give you a rough idea of the cost. For instance, a 5kW high-quality solar panel system could cost between €6,000 and €8,000.
In Ireland, solar panels for the average household cost €670 per high-quality 435W panel. But, remember that, generous government grants can reduce costs by just under a third.
This means that a 10-panel, 4.4 kWp system – which the typical three-bedroom home requires – costs €6,500 instead of €8,000.
The grant allows thousands more householders to buy solar panels and drastically reduces the average homeowner’s break-even point of about 6 to 7 years (without the grant, payback would be more like 8 or 9 years). Take a look at our rough guide to solar panel costs below. When you take government grants into consideration, they become much more affordable.
| House size | No. of panels needed | Cost with government grant | Tonnes of CO2 saved / year | Savings / year | Years to break even |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 bedrooms | 6 | €5,100 | 0.30 | €695 | 11 |
| 3 bedrooms | 10 | €6,300 | 0.49 | €1,140 | 6.67 |
| 4+ bedrooms | 14 | €7,450 | 0.69 | €1,635 | 5.3 |
*Figures courtesy of EnergyEfficiency.ie.
If you want to find out exactly how much solar panels will cost you, it’s never been easier to find out than with our free tool. Just enter a few quick details and our trusted suppliers will be in touch with free quotes for you to compare.
Can you get government grants for solar panels in Ireland?
Yes, there are government grants for solar panels in Ireland – and you should make the most of them while they exist.
The main grant provided by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is called the Solar PV Scheme. This grant is intended to assist homeowners, including private landlords, who want to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in their homes.
The Irish government has also scrapped the VAT for purchasing new solar panels, making installation more affordable.
The government has introduced a separate scheme for businesses, public organisations and community groups. This scheme offers grants from €1,800 for installing solar PV panels. The SEAI also administers this scheme.
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant
First, there’s the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant. This grant will pay you €800 per kWp until you’ve installed 2 kWp of solar panels, then €250 per kWp for the next 2 kWp, up to a maximum total of €1,800.
So, by way of example, instead of paying €4,200 for a solar PV system, the average household will pay €2,400.
But be aware that, after receiving grant approval, you will have 8 months to complete the necessary works and submit a declaration of works.
It is crucial to adhere to these timelines to ensure the grant payment. If the works are not completed within 8 months, the grant will expire and the application will be declined.
Clean Export Guarantee
- The Irish government has also launched the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), a scheme that pays households for every kilowatt of solar energy they export to the National Grid. So, if you don’t use all the power you generate, you can still use it to save you money.
- The six suppliers providing a CEG tariff – Bord Gais, Electric Ireland, Energia, Flogas, Pinergy and SSE Airtricity – currently offer up to 25c per kWh, on average.
- You may not have to pay any tax on that income – households are allowed to receive tax-free payments up to €400 per year for residual renewable electricity.
Do solar panels work in Irish weather?
In short, yes – solar panels definitely work in Irish weather.
- The country’s mild climate is actually an advantage for solar panel owners, as it guards against the biggest threat to their use: overheating.
- Panels also do their best, most efficient work when the temperature is between 15°C and 35°C – which is typical for the average Irish roof.
- And though it doesn’t always feel like it, Ireland is blessed with 1,350 hours of sunshine, on average – just 22 less than the UK, and more than enough to power your home.
- More sunshine would always be welcome, of course, but – nevertheless – Irish households are perfectly placed to benefit from solar power.
How many people have solar panels in Ireland?
Somewhere in the region of 120,000 homes in Ireland have solar panels. That means around 6% of homes in the country are taking advantage of this renewable form of energy.
The number of solar panel owners is only increasing, too, with solar energy production increasing by 81% since 2010, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Next steps
With the SEAI grant cutting your initial costs by thousands of euros, and the CEG set to increase your savings even further, there’s never been a better time to get solar panels.
You can save money and the planet, which is exactly what you want from a renewable energy source. If you’d like to see how much it would cost you to start cutting your energy bills and making money from selling your extra solar power, just use our free tool.
Enter a few quick details and our trusted experts will be in touch with free quotes for you to compare.
Summary
- Solar panels offer a smart way to save money and reduce your carbon footprint
- Generous government grants and the Clean Export Guarantee make them more affordable than ever
- Irish weather is ideal for efficient solar panel performance year round
- Thousands of homeowners are already benefiting from solar energy savings
- Get started today with free quotes tailored to your needs!
