Solar Ireland lobbying for higher grants for solar panel installation

Solar Ireland is calling on the Government to introduce a €5,000 grant to help people install solar panels on their homes. This follows reports that the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris is working on a fresh round of measures to reduce both household bills and Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuel-based energy.

The Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS), designed to help people make the switch to renewable energy through solar installations, was introduced in 2022. It initially offered grants of €2,400, which have since reduced to €1,800.

Higher grants suggested by Solar Ireland

Solar Ireland noted that, as part of last year’s budget process, it successfully advocated for the grant to be maintained at €1,800 rather than reduced further to €1,500. The group now says the focus should shift to scaling access.

Solar Ireland represents members from across the sector, including solar farms and rooftop panel installers. CEO Ronan Power says a boost to this grant would be an easy win for the Government:

“The grant for rooftop solar has reduced over time; Last year, we worked to ensure it was maintained at €1,800 rather than reduced further, but the focus now needs to shift to scaling access. Increasing the grant to €5,000 would put solar within reach for far more households and give people greater control over their energy bills.

Taking this step now would unlock strong consumer demand and allow installations to ramp up over the coming months, before households become more reliant on fossil fuels again for heating.

It would mean lower bills, reduced pressure on the grid, and less exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets. The opportunity is clear. People are ready to make the switch when it makes economic sense.”

The call from Solar Ireland coincides with a double record-breaking weekend for solar power in Ireland. Output from utility-scale solar projects exceeded 1 GW for the first time on Friday, before reaching a new high of over 1.2 GW on Saturday.

At peak, solar generation was sufficient to meet the equivalent electricity demand of all homes in Ireland, marking a significant milestone for the sector.

Ronan Power said the achievement reflects the pace of delivery across utility-scale projects:

“This has been driven by utility-scale solar, the solar power plants now operating across Ireland, and shows what can be achieved in a relatively short period of time. The first grid connections only came in 2022. To reach this level of output in just four years, in a difficult regulatory environment, is a clear signal of what this sector can deliver.

It also highlights the opportunity ahead. If we can achieve this under current constraints, the potential to accelerate further by unblocking the system is significant.”

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