How to apply
- Find and appoint a registered SEAI solar PV company. For example “NuSolas”
- Make an application to SEAI for the grant offer
It is critical that homeowners do not start works until they receive the grant offer. (Grant offers are valid for eight months.)
- Apply to ESB Networks to connect the Solar PV system to the electricity network
Your Installer must apply to ESB Networks before installing a Solar PV system. This application process takes at least 4 weeks (20 working days).
- Install your solar PV panels
Get your solar PV system installed and either pay the installer or arrange a payment agreement.
- Get a post-works BER
A post works BER is required and the cost is included in the grant amount.
- Solar PV company submit evidence of works to SEAI
Your solar PV company will give you the documentation related to your installation and they will submit copies to SEAI electronically.
- SEAI process the claim
Due to the popularity of this scheme please allow up to 6 weeks for payment, with additional time if an inspection is required.
The panels will generate renewable electricity, which you can use in your home. This will reduce the electricity you currently purchase from your supplier. This reduction in cost from your electricity supplier is a saving directly into your pocket. Solar PV systems are simple to install (typically within a single day), and cause minimal disruption to your home (i.e. no builders work is required). You can calculate the potential payback for solar PV using our calculator.
Other grant options
Solar PV generates renewable electricity, but does not reduce how much energy you use in your home. You should consider other energy efficiency measures in your home, and SEAI provide a wide range of grants for energy efficiency measures such as insulation and heating controls.
This depends on several factors like the direction and accessibility of your roof, your location in the country, and the amount you currently pay for your electricity. Just go to our SOLAR CALCULATOR and fill in the details and one of our solar expert will contact you with the return on investment figures.
The size of solar PV system will depend on a number of factors, and you should discuss this with our solar expert. We will take into consideration the amount of electricity you use in your home, when you use it most during the day, and the size, and orientation, of your roof.
It is desirable to maximise the amount of solar electricity you use in your home, sometimes called ‘self-consumption’. You can do this by sizing the solar PV system to meet your demand, and by using energy storage solutions. Analysis of Irish homes found that 80% of the electricity generated by a 2kW (kilowatt) solar PV system in an average Irish home would be used within the home (self-consumed). With the addition of storage solutions, this could be increased further towards 100%.
Therefore, for solar PV without storage, a system of 2kW or lower is considered optimal for high self-consumption. For systems larger than 2kW, some form of storage should be considered to increase self-consumption.
If you have a well insulated hot water tank (‘immersion’), the best option is to use a diverter to heat hot water with electricity that would otherwise export from your house. This is a very low cost solution, and is considered in the grant support. You should consider your hot water needs in your home, and if you will use the water heated this way.
An emerging solution is the use of a battery storage system. This system will detect when you are exporting energy to the grid, and then will store this energy within a battery within your home. The battery will then feed this stored energy back into your home when you need it next.