The Solar Electricity Grant provides a grant to help with the cost of buying and installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for your home. The grant is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Their website is www.seai.ie You must apply for the grant and get a grant offer from the SEAI before you get your solar panels and start any work. When you get your grant offer, you must complete the work within 8 months. In 2026, the maximum you can get is €1,800 depending on how many solar panels you install. The Government plans to reduce the grant by up to €300 every year, as the cost of solar panels reduce. The grant is due to end in 2029.

The work must be finished before you can get your grant payment. There are a number of things to consider before applying for the grant. For example, you should check if you should insulate your home first and if you’ll need planning permission.

What are solar panels? Solar panels are devices that use sunlight to generate hot water, or electricity to power electrical devices in your home. Solar panels that produce electricity are known as solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. These panels generate electricity when exposed to light. Solar PV is the rooftop solar you see on homes and businesses. Solar panels that produce hot water are known as solar thermal collectors or solar hot water collectors. This Solar Electricity Grant focuses on PV, where solar electric panels capture the light from the sun and convert it into the electricity that is used in your home to power your TV, kettle, toaster and so on. These panels are often mounted on the roof of your house or in the garden.

Do I qualify for the Solar Electricity Grant?

To qualify for a grant, you must:

• Be the owner of a home built and occupied before 2021
• Use new materials and products that were not already covered by another grant scheme
• Use a registered company from the SEAI’s registered list of companies
• Have the electrical works completed by a Safe Electric Ireland electrician
• Apply to ESB Networks to be connected to the electricity distribution system using the ESB Networks NC6 form. Your registered installer should do this for you before they fit the system
• Provide a Declaration of Works signed by a registered installer on the SEAI Solar PV Approved Installer list
• Have a Building Energy Rating (BER) carried out after the work is completed
• Meet the requirements in the Solar PV Code of Practice

If you need further information about this topic or you have other questions, you can drop-in to the Citizens Information Service in Bantry or ring 0818 07 8390. They will be happy to assist you.
WEST CORK HELPLINE 0818 07 8390 The offices are staffed from 10am -5pm from Monday to Thursday and on Friday from 10am -4pm. Alternatively you can email on [email protected] or log on to
www.citizensinformation.ie