County Offaly, located in the middle of Ireland in the province of Leinster, has a population of over 82,000.
The landlocked county borders seven other counties, and is the 18th largest county in Ireland by area and 24th by population.
Co. Offaly has seen a solar energy boom in recent years as people across the county embrace solar energy to reduce their annual bills.
If you are thinking about joining the hundreds of homeowners and businesses in Offaly who have already gone solar, get a free quote from one of the solar panel installers in our network. We have vetted all solar installers, and we only recommend the very best companies.
Offaly Solar Panels Adoption
Close to 1,000 SEAI residential solar grants have been awarded in Co. Offaly, with hundreds of households going solar each year.
There have been 960 grant supported solar PV installations in recent years, and in 2024 (until 30 September) there were 325 grant assisted solar installations in the county.
2023 saw a total of 308 installations, signalling the beginning of a solar boom in the county.
Offaly Climate
Offaly’s landlocked location at the heart of Ireland plays a role in weather conditions in the county.
‘The Faithful County’ is located away from the Atlantic coast and is not particularly mountainous, with large areas of bogland dominating much of the county.
It is of course still heavily impacted by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and Offaly does receive a significant amount of rainfall per year.
Offaly Sunshine Hours
Ireland is known for being overcast, and Offaly lies right in the middle of the country. It’s no surprise therefore that the county gets plenty of cloudy days.
But what some people don’t know is that solar panels work even on those cloudy days.
Unobstructed sunshine is better of course, but only sunlight is needed to save hundreds per year on energy bills!
Offaly Towns and Villages
Offaly is home to numerous towns and villages scattered across its rolling landscape, from the historic town of Birr in the west to the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Tullamore is the largest urban centre and county town in Offaly. Among the other towns and villages in the county are Birr, Clara and Banagher.
The population of Offaly is 82,668 according to the 2022 Census, making it a moderately populated county.
It is known for its storied history, including Clonmacnoise and Leap Castle.
The picturesque Grand Canal, which passes through Offaly, offers beautiful walking and cycling routes for locals and visitors.
| Offaly Towns and Villages | Population |
|---|---|
| Tullamore | 15,598 |
| Birr | 4,726 |
| Edenderry | 7,888 |
| Clara | 3,403 |
| Banagher | 1,907 |
| Portarlington | 9,288 |
| Mountmellick | 4,905 |
| Daingean | 1,223 |
| Ros Cré / Rosrea | 5,542 |
Offaly Housing
There are 15,942 homes in Offaly with a Building Energy Rating (BER) as of June 30 2024.
Ten percent of these buildings are rated A, and 11% are rated B. This shows the need for retrofits in the county, with 15% of houses being extremely energy inefficient, having a rating of F or G.
| Building Energy Rating (BER) | Total Housing Stock | Average Age | |||||||
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |||
| Offaly | 1,594 | 1,753 | 5,108 | 2,869 | 1,912 | 956 | 1,435 | 15,942 | 35 |
BER data Q2 2024. Source: CSO.ie
