Are Solar Panels Worth it in Ireland?

Solar panels are capable of generating more than enough electricity in Ireland to cover 50 – 75% of the average household electricity usage.

The average household in Ireland uses 4,200kWh of electricity each year, and as little as 8 – 10 solar panels can generate more than two thirds of that amount in a year, even in the Irish climate.

The amount of electricity produced by a solar PV system will depend on both the number of solar panels installed, and the amount of sun they receive in the year.

When installing solar panels it is important to understand everything that will determine how much electricity they produce. One of the most important factors in that equation is how much sunlight they will receive, and how to make the most of this.

Aside from the many financial reasons to invest in solar panels, they will also serve to significantly reduce your carbon footprint by eliminating the emissions of using electricity from the grid.

Having solar panels installed on your home can save hundred of kilograms of CO2 emissions each year by reducing fossil fuel usage in electricity generation.

The average carbon emissions from electricity generation in Ireland is 223 grams of CO2 per kWh of electricity consumed. That means that the average household will generate 936.6 kilograms of CO2 through its electricity usage each year.

Having a solar PV system that generates 60% of your electricity usage could reduce that household’s carbon emissions by 561.96 kilograms each year.

Solar power can also reduce gas an oil use for heating water with either solar thermal panels, or a power diverter and solar PV.

Speak with a member of our team and determine the type of solar that best suits your situation

The price of solar panels has fallen dramatically in recent years, with the cost of a solar PV system in Ireland falling somewhere between €5,500 and €10,500, even without the grant.

The average homeowner in Ireland will pay just over €7,200 for solar panels based on the average system size installed in Ireland in 2024.

Adding a single 5kW solar battery to that system will increase its cost by approximately €2,400 for most households.

The rapidly falling cost of solar has seen the payback period for a solar PV system fall from 10 years or more five years ago, to as little as 5 – 7 years now.

A big game changer in the price of solar panels was the introduction of a 0% VAT rate for domestic solar PV, both their components and installation.

This applies to all ancillary products associated with the solar panel installation as well, such as the inverter, wiring, or a solar battery.

Introduced by the government in May 2023, this 0% rate reduced the cost of most domestic solar PV installations by approximately €1,000.

Irish households can also avail of an €1,800 solar grant from the SEAI to further reduce the cost of investing in solar power.

This grant is available for all private homeowners, including landlords, as long as the property was built and occupied before 2021.

The value of the SEAI solar grant is based on the size of the solar PV system being installed, maxing out at 4kWp in capacity.

You’ll hit this cap with 9 or 10 solar panels, depending on their strength. You can still install more panels, but the grant value won’t go up beyond that point.