Solar Panel Companies Ireland 2024: A Guide

By Cormac Breen

Content Manager

There are over 400 SEAI approved solar panel installers in Ireland offering services in the installation of PV solar panels and storage batteries. In order to avail of the SEAI solar grant, you must contract an SEAI approved installer. It is recommended to compare different installers in your area to get the best quote before beginning work on your solar panel installation.

How Can I Find a Solar Panel Company in Ireland?

We recommend looking for an SEAI approved solar panel company as this is one that has been trained and accredited by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). This means that they are fully certified by the government body to come and install your solar panels for you.

You also can benefit from the SEAI solar panel grant if you use an approved installer, with grant amounts of up to €2,100 available.

There are over 400 SEAI approved solar panel companies currently operating in Ireland. On the SEAI’s website, you can find a complete list of all installers that are registered with the SEAI.

The list can be filtered by county so that you can easily find a company operating in your local area.

The list doesn’t just cover solar panels, but a full range of different environmental and renewable energy products that some companies might do together. These include:

• PV Solar Panels
• Solar Thermal Panels
• Thermodynamic Solar Panels
• Biomass Boilers
• Heat pumps

The list includes services, names, phone numbers and email addresses of all the approved solar panel companies. You can also find a solar panel company that will help you with any solar panel repairs or solar panel batteries or finding replacement components for your solar panels.

Can I Use an Unapproved Solar Panel Company? Just because a solar panel company isn’t approved by the SEAI, it doesn’t mean they won't offer a good service when it comes to installing your solar panels. However, if you don’t use an approved solar panel company, you won’t be able to get the SEAI solar panel grant.

What Services Does a Solar Panel Company Provide?

What services a solar panel company in Ireland will provide will depend on the company, however most companies will provide the following services:

1. Assess Your Property
   All solar panel companies will assess your property before giving you a quote for your property. Since houses vary in size and shape, you might need an entirely different process to similar houses in your area.
2. Solar Panel Installation
   After the assessment and agreement on a quote, your chosen solar panels will be installed by the company. Usually, this won’t take any longer than a day, depending on your property size.
3. Post-Installation Testing
   After the installation, the company will usually need to do some post-installation tests to double-check that everything has gone smoothly and there are no problems.

How Should I Compare Solar Panel Companies?

With so many companies offering solar panel services, comparing the market can be difficult. You will need to get a good idea of what the different solar panel companies have to offer in terms of:

1. Services
2. Costs
3. Reviews

If you have found some companies in your area and are still not sure which to choose, we recommend asking them the following questions to help you compare and make the right choice.

• ⛅ Questions to Ask When Comparing Solar Panel Companies
• How much energy will the PV system produce in a year?
• What is the total cost?
• What are the ongoing service and maintenance costs?
• What warranty is provided?
• Is my roof and electricity demand suitable for PV

Which Is the Best Solar Panel Company in Ireland?

We recommend that you always choose an SEAI registered company to guarantee a minimum set of standards established by the SEAI while also giving yourself an organisation to complain to should you find you're having issues with your solar panel installer.

With so many companies offering services in solar panel installation, it's difficult to say which company or companies are the best. With factors such as costs and range of services differing between companies, as well as customer experience, to choose an objectively better company is difficult.

Despite this, here is our choice of the top 10 SEAI registered solar panel companies in Ireland:

• Electric Ireland Solar Panel
• Solartricity
• Solar Electric
• Alternative Energy Ireland
• NRG Panel
• GreenHouse Renewable Energy
• LVP Renewables
• Thermasol
• PureVolt Solar

How Do Solar Panel Companies Install Solar Panels?

As mentioned above, we recommend using an SEAI registered company for your solar panel installation. The process from start to finish should follow these steps:

1. Appoint Solar Panel Installer
   Firstly, you will need to get quotes from registered solar panel installer companies so you can find out how much you will be looking at paying in getting solar panels installed at your property.
2. Apply for Solar Panel Grant
   Next, you will need to fill in the solar panel grant application form online. This will include submitting your bank details, so you make sure they are correct before you continue. You should wait for approval on the grant amount before you begin installing the solar panels.
3. Solar Panel Installer Applies to ESB Networks
   Your solar panel installer will then apply to ESB Networks to confirm the connection to the electricity distribution network. This can take around 4 weeks.
4. Install Your Solar Panels
   After you’ve received approval and have heard back from ESB Networks, you can then start installing your solar panels.
5. Get the BER Rating
   After your solar panels have been installed, you will need to get your BER rating. Your BER rating is extremely important, so you must contact a BER rating assessor as soon as possible to make sure you get your property assessed. If you don’t, you might lose out on the solar panel grant.
6. Solar Panel Evidence Submitted
   Your solar panel installer will then send on the documentation you’ll need for getting the solar panels approved. They will also send a copy to the SEAI for them to have a look at before giving you the grant.
7. SEAI Process the Grant Claim
   Once all the documentation has been received, the SEAI will process your solar panel grant application and will decide whether you qualify. If you’re successful, the SEAI will pay the grant into your bank account, which usually takes around 4 to 6 weeks.