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Solar Power and EV Charging

Charging your electric vehicle at home is already very inexpensive, but it can be even cheaper. Using home solar panels with your EV charger lets you run your car on completely free, renewable energy.

In this guide, we explain how home solar panels can be integrated with a home EV charger and the benefits of doing so.

How Solar Panels and Home EV Chargers Work

Using solar power to charge your electric vehicle relies on two separate pieces of technology in your home: solar panels and a home EV charger. Here is how the two of those function.

  • Solar Panels (PV): Usually mounted on the rooftop of a house, these generate electricity from sunlight. This power can be used in the home or exported if not being used.

  • EV Charger: This specialised charging unit, mounted on the outside of your home, charges an electric vehicle using your home’s power supply.

  • Control System: An app that allows you to control both your EV charger and solar PV system, integrating the two.

By having the EV charger and solar panels on the same electricity system, they can be connected. This allows the charger to draw only on the power made by the solar panels, instead of from the grid. 

Here are three ways to charge your EV using solar power:

  • 1

    Solar Panels (PV): The rooftop solar panels generate electricity, which is distributed for use in your home by the inverter. This goes first to the electricity load in your home.

  • 2

    Surplus Electricity: Where the EV charger detects power that is not being used, it takes that electricity rather than allowing it to be exported to the grid.

  • 3

    Battery Charging: Excess solar power made during the day is stored in a battery. This is then used to charge an electric vehicle at night.

  • 4

    Export & Night Rates: Surplus solar power is exported to the grid for a feed-in tariff during the day. Charge your EV at night with discounted electricity rates to still make a profit.

Best EV Charging Station for Solar Power

The Myenergi Zappi is generally considered to be the best choice of EV charger for people who have, or intend to get, solar panels. The Zappi is known for having a number of strengths that make it simple for solar charging.

  • Easy Integration: The Zappi is well known for being very easy to integrate with solar panels and battery storage.

  • Charging Modes: The Zappi has Eco and Eco+ charging modes depending on the level of surplus solar power available.

  • Discount Installation: Many solar installers will offer the Zappi at a discounted price if you buy it along with solar panels.

Zappi

  • Charge Power: 7kW – 22kW
  • Solar PV: Compatible
  • Connection: Tethered (6m/8m)/Untethered
  • Warranty: 3 Years

The Cost of Combining Home EV Charging and Solar Panels

An EV Charger and home solar panels can be expensive upgrades for any home, but they can pay for themselves many times over. This is from their provision of free electricity and much cheaper EV charging.

The cost of a solar PV system and an EV charger, including SEAI grants and installation costs, will come to approximately:

  • Solar Panels: €4,700 & €8,700

  • EV Charger: €500 – €1,300

Grants For Solar Panels and EV Charging Stations

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland provides grant funding for home solar and home EV chargers. This can substantially reduce the cost to homeowners of both of these green energy technologies.

Solar Panels:

A maximum grant of €1,800 is available from the SEAI for home solar panels in 2025. The size of the grant depends on the number of solar panels being installed.

Home EV Charger:

A €300 grant per household is available for the installation of home EV chargers.

Read more about Solar Panel Grants and the Home EV Charger Grant from the SEAI.

Benefits of Solar-Powered EV Charging

Using solar power to charge your electric vehicle has the potential to save you even more money compared to regular home EV charging prices. It is also possibly the most environmentally friendly way to drive.

Charging your EV from solar power is completely free of charge. Your solar panels will churn out power regardless of whether or not it is used. So you might as well put it to use.

By using solar power for your electric vehicle, you reduce your reliance on power from the grid. This energy independence helps protect you from future price changes that could drive up your electricity bills.

Electric cars need a lot of electricity, and much electricity production in Ireland still relies on gas, oil, and coal. Solar power, in comparison, generates completely green, emissions-free electricity.

The one downside of relying on a home EV charger is the possibility of being caught with a dead battery in a power outage. In contrast, Solar panels and battery storage together are capable of operating during a blackout with an isolation switch.

Feed-in Tariffs & Night-Time Charging

One option for your solar PV system is to sell surplus electricity generated during the day back to the national grid via a Feed-in-Tariff (FIT). And, with special electricity tariffs designed for electric car owners, you can save even more on your electricity bills, or even turn a profit, depending on your usage and charging needs.

Another important factor to consider when looking at the price of electricity is the hours during which that rate is available. Many special EV plans have rates for less than 10 cents per kWh. However, they are generally only available for between 2 and 4 hours at night. Outside of those hours, electricity will be more expensive.

Other night rates might be more expensive, but are available for far longer. This could work out cheaper depending on how much charging you need to do.

Smart Charging and Energy Management

Smart charging is an evolution of the old plug and charge model that can optimise EV charging for even greater savings. This generally involves an app that allows users to manually set controls for when and how an electric car should charge. 

This means that you can plug your car in when you get home, but it won’t start charging until those circumstances are met. For solar power, this typically means setting your charger to prioritise the following.

Surplus Energy:

The charger will use surplus solar energy first and foremost. If there is not enough solar power to use, it will either wait until more becomes available or supplement it with power from the grid.

Battery Storage:

 Where excess solar power has been stored in a battery during the day, your EV charger can be set to use that stored power first.

Timed Session:

If you are exporting solar power instead of storing it, you can schedule your EV charger to only activate at night when electricity is cheaper.

Solar-Powered EV Charging Frequently Asked Questions

It depends. If you are getting a solar battery anyway, then it can be worthwhile to store that energy to charge an EV in the evening. However, the price of buying a solar battery just for EV charging is not worth it.

Yes, if you are doing a deep discharge of your solar battery on a regular basis this can shorten its lifespan. This is not just limited to EV charging. You should avoid discharging your battery to 0% on a regular basis to make it last as long as possible.

Combining home solar panels with an electricity plan that offers cheap rates for nighttime EV charging is the best way to maximise your savings and solar power usage.