Grants For Homeowners
The Solar PV Scheme provides a once-off grant towards the purchase and installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and/or a battery energy storage system in homes. The Solar PV Scheme is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). You must apply for the Solar PV Scheme and have received a grant offer from SEAI before proceeding with any works.
- 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 under 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 be connected to the electricity distribution system using the ESB Networks NC6 form.
- 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 with a home energy performance rating of C or better.
- You will not need planning permission to install solar panels at your home as long as you meet certain conditions, which are outlined in the planning section of the Solar PV Grant Application Guide (pdf). Generally, you will not need planning permission if the solar panels take up less than 12 square metres (or less than 50% of the area of the roof), which is about the size of a 6-panel system. However, ask your local authority for guidance about planning permission if:
- Your home is a protected structure.
- You home is located in a protected area, for example, an architectural conservation area.
- The proposed works do not meet the conditions listed in the application guide.
The grant covers materials and labour, unless you are a contractor doing the work in your own home. In this case, only the cost of the materials is covered.
If the cost of the systems and labour (including VAT) is less than the maximum grant amount, you will get a grant for the actual cost.
| Grant Name | Value | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Solar PV grant | €900 per kWp up to 2kWp (kWp means kilowatt-peak, which is a measure of the peak output of a solar PV system) | €1800 for 2kWp solar panels |
| €300 for every additional kWp up to 4kWp | €2100 for 3kWp solar panels | |
| Total Solar PV grant capped at €2400 | €2400 for 4kWp solar panels |
URL for Solar Electricity Calculator -> https://www.seai.ie/tools/solar-electricity-calculator
You can ''apply for the Solar PV Scheme online'' or by post. If applying by post, you should contact the SEAI to get an application form and send it back to them.
URL for online registration -> https://mgen.seai.ie
