Ireland’s Solar Power Capacity Jumps Almost 300% in Three Years

Solar Ireland says continued collaboration across policy, planning, grid infrastructure and skills development will be essential to sustain growth

Ireland’s solar sector has experienced one of the fastest periods of renewable energy growth in the country’s history, with total connected solar capacity reaching 2.7 GW by the end of May 2026, an increase of almost 300% since 2023.

Ireland’s Solar Power Capacity continues to grow

The figures are published in Solar Ireland’s annual Scale of Solar 2026 report, which was launched by Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien TD. The report highlights how solar is becoming an increasingly important contributor to Ireland’s electricity system, supporting energy resilience, emissions reductions and growing electricity demand.

The report shows that in the 12 months to the end of May:

Solar generated more than 1.17 TWh (terawatt hours) of electricity across the Ireland

Utility-scale (solar farms) capacity surpassed 1.5 GW

Micro-generation capacity reached 805MW

Small scale capacity reached 58 MW

The equivalent of 460,000 homes were powered by Ireland’s total connected solar capacity

Total connected solar capacity increased by nearly 1 GW in a single year

During May solar achieved 37.1% peak instantaneous contribution to electricity

The document also demonstrates how the geographical spread of solar facilities is developing:

When it comes to rooftop solar adoption:

Clare is leading the way on a county-by-county basis, with 51 rooftop solar systems per 1,000 people

190,000+ homes and businesses are now generating their own electricity

For utility-scale (solar farm) generation:

Meath remains the leader, with 441GWh generated in 12 months to the end of May

Wexford is in second place with 174 GWh generated

Cork generated 110GWh in the period

Ireland’s total connected solar capacity is now predicted to exceed 3.3 GW by year end. Minister Darragh O’Brien said the findings highlight both the progress achieved and the opportunities ahead:

“The growth of solar energy in Ireland is one of the clearest examples of how our energy transition is moving from ambition to delivery. In just 12 months, Ireland added 1 GW of solar capacity, helping to strengthen Ireland’s energy resilience, reduce emissions and increase the share of domestically generated renewable electricity on our system.

As electricity demand continues to grow, driven by electrification across homes, transport and industry, investment in renewable energy infrastructure will be essential. Solar is already making an increasingly important contribution to Ireland’s electricity system and will continue to play a key role in supporting energy resilience, economic competitiveness and a sustainable energy future.”

CEO of Solar Ireland Ronan Power says this year’s figures represent a true milestone:

“Ireland’s solar story is no longer defined solely by ambition. It is increasingly defined by delivery.

In the past year alone, Ireland added almost 1 GW of solar capacity, while solar generation and deployment records have continued to be broken across the country. Solar is now making a meaningful contribution to homes, farms, schools, businesses and communities nationwide.

Maintaining this momentum will require continued collaboration across industry, Government, regulators and system operators. Grid infrastructure, planning processes, workforce capacity, market design and public participation will all play a critical role in determining how quickly Ireland can continue scaling solar generation.

The progress achieved to date demonstrates what is possible when policy, investment and delivery align. The opportunity now is to build on that foundation and ensure solar continues to play a growing role in Ireland’s energy future. ”

Thomas Foody, Head of Connection Projects South at Eirgrid says his organisation reached a key milestone in recent weeks: “In April, grid-scale solar generation exceeded 1 GW for the first time, enough to power over 500,000 homes. This reflects sustained progress in connecting large-scale solar to the national grid and marks a step change in Solar’s contribution to Ireland’s generation mix. The continued integration of grid-scale solar on the transmission system will be critical to enabling the electrification of the economy and supporting future growth in demand”.

Nicholas Tarrant, Managing Director, ESB Networks paid tribute to the collective effort achieving so much in the solar industry:

“The continued rapid growth in both utility-scale solar projects and rooftop solar installations over recent years is a powerful reflection of the contribution individuals, communities and renewable project developers are making to supporting our climate goals. The electricity network now supports 2.7 GW of solar generation, from large utility-scale developments to domestic rooftop systems. Each year, approximately  50,000 new solar installations are completed across homes, farms, businesses and communities throughout the country. Sustaining this momentum will help realise our climate ambitions and help shape a cleaner, resilient and electrified future for all.”

The Scale of Solar 2026 report can be viewed in full here.

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