How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Ireland?

By David Tait Reviewed by Cormac Breen

Editorial Manager

Solar panel installation for a 3-bed, semi-detached house in Ireland costs on average between €6,200 - €6,600. This cost includes an SEAI grant designed to help homeowners with the costs of solar panel installation. Solar batteries cost between €1,700 - €2,400 while EV Chargers cost between €1,000 - €1,500.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost In Ireland?

Solar panels can be an expensive investment with an average cost of between €4,800 to €8,700.

This is due in part to rising wholesale costs and the high cost of electricity, but there are SEAI grants available to help with the cost of installing solar panels which can help those interested in making savings on their energy consumption.

Here’s a quick table that provides an overview of the cost of solar panels for different size houses:

Source: Energy Efficiency
Last Updated: February 2025

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost To Install?

Solar panels can cost anywhere from between €5,000 to €16,000 to install. This makes them one of the cheaper renewable energy solutions for your home, less expensive than an electric car or a hybrid car.

This pricing is generally based on the rate capacity offered by the solar panels, so the higher capacity you need, the more expensive your solar panels will be.

Here’s a graph to show you how the prices increase with more capacity:

Source: Energyd
Last Updated: February 2025

How Much Does a Solar Panel Battery Cost?

A solar battery is usually an added cost on top of the cost of solar panels. Depending on the capacity, you might be looking at paying an extra €1,700 to €2,400 on top of what you pay for the installation.

Solar batteries allow you to store the energy produced by your solar panels for later use, but you can also get paid for exporting any excess energy your solar panels generate through the microgeneration scheme.

By selling your excess energy back into the national grid, you can offset some of the costs incolved in installing solar panels.

Can I Get a Grant for Solar Panels?

The SEAI solar grants scheme offers significant funding to make the cost of the solar panels more affordable. However, the grant only applies to photovoltaic solar panels, so if you want to install a different type you’ll have to pay for it yourself.

The amount that you receive for the solar panel grant depends mainly on the peak output of your new solar panel system.

This means that the amount of power that your solar panel generates at peak times will determine how much you’ll receive in the grant:

Source: Citizen Information
Last Updated: February 2025

The solar panel grant will cover both the labour and the material for the solar panels to be installed in your property.

For many of the grants, the maximum amount is lower than the average price for PV solar panels (around €4,000) so the grant is intended to foot part of the bill for the over costs.

The grant doesn't cover any solar panel repairs or the individual cost of replacement parts.

While there are DIY solar kits available, we recommended contracting a professional solar panel installation company.

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How Much Could I Save With Solar Panels?

As with any investment, it takes time to earn the money back and it can be frustrating having to wait to see the real savings from having the panels installed.

On average, whatever size solar panels, it will take around 4 to 6 years for your investment to pay off.

However, the more solar panels you invest in, the larger your return will be:

How Many Solar Panels Would It Take To Power a House?

The number of solar panels needed for a home can vary a lot depending on the capacity you need and how big your home is.

For example, a 2-bed terrace would need a lot less than a 6-bed terrace for example. Here’s a table that shows you the different rated capacities for each house size:

Source: Purevolt
Last Updated: February 2025

To find out how many solar panels you need for your home, have a look at our solar panel companies article and get a quote for your property.

Example of Solar Panel Capacity If we have a solar panel with a capacity rating of 1kW. This means that for every square metre of sun, the solar panel will generate 1000 watts.

Why Are Solar Panels So Expensive?

Taking into account their manufacturing costs, their installation costs, as well as their maintenance, the amount you have to pay for having your own solar panels can be quite challenging

Here are some of the factors that might influence the cost your solar panels in Ireland:

1. Type of Solar Panel
   There are many different types of solar panels and each one has its own cost. The different types of solar panels will have different ways of producing electricity than others and this can invariably affect the amount you pay.
2. Property Size
   You might need more solar panels if you have a larger house. This will mean you’ll need to pay more for your solar panel installation since you’ll want to have the generation necessary for powering your entire property.
3. Batteries
   You might also want to invest in getting a battery to store the electricity generated from solar power to use later. These can also vary depending on capacity and the quality.
4. Installation Costs
   Installing the solar panels on your property is one thing but having it done well is another. You’ll want to make sure that you’ve had the best quality installation so you don’t have problems further down the line and this can be quite
5. Quality
   Naturally, the quality of your solar panels are also going to make a difference to your budget. If you spend more on getting higher quality solar panels, you won't have to worry too much about their maintenance.

Are Solar Panels Worth It in 2025 in Ireland?

So are solar panels worth the cost in Ireland? There are a lot of pros and cons surrounding solar panels.

On one side, they’re the ideal investment for today since we’re all moving towards renewable energy sources and need to keep the green transition going. They're also a great choice and alternative to getting an electric vehicle for instance.

What Are the Solar Panel Pros? ✅

1. Cheaper Electricity Bills
   With your own energy source, you’ll start making savings on your electricity bills almost instantly so you won’t be paying an energy company as much every month. You’ll also have a bit of protection against later price hikes.
2. Grants Available
   Grants are available for solar panels unlike for other renewable energy. The SEAI grants significantly reduces the upfront cost for your solar panels so you don’t have to worry too much about prices.
3. Good Return on Investment
   Since your return on your investment will be over 20%, that’s a really great return after you’ve made the money back.
4. Better for the Environment
   Naturally, investing in your own solar panels is the best way to invest in renewable energy for the rest of Ireland. It’s also one of the best ways that you can do your bit for the environment.

What About the Solar Panel Cons? ❌

1. Hefty Upfront Costs
   The upfront costs are extortionate in some cases given the technology and the skill needed for the installation process. Hopefully one day these costs can be brought down to make it easier for people without as much in savings to install one.
2. Grants Are Limited
   Though the SEAI grants help with bringing down the cost, at the end of the day it still doesn’t make much of a dent in the price of the solar panels.
3. Investment Takes a While To Earn Back
   Although it's a worthwhile return, it does take a while to earn back, especially if you spend a lot of money on solar panels in the first place. 3 to 4 years might be too long to wait!
4. Solar Panels Sometimes Unreliable
   Solar panels are sometimes unreliable and unusable in cloudy weather, so you should definitely assess where you live and whether you get a lot of sunlight before you buy your solar panels - it might affect your return!