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Electric Ireland Solar Panels: What's the Offer?
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Electric Ireland solar panels are the only ones on offer from an energy supplier in Ireland. With renewable energy becoming more and more important, solar panels have a big part to play in Ireland’s green transition. In our Electric Ireland solar panels guide, we’ll go through everything Electric Ireland has to offer.
What Are Electric Ireland Solar Panels?
Electric Ireland has been offering solar panels since 2016 and have also extended into a range of different solar panel products to help you move towards a greener energy that will also make your bill cheaper! Electric Ireland works with the renewable energy company NRG Panel who installed the solar panels on their behalf.
What Types of Solar Panels Does Electric Ireland Offer?
Although there are three main solar panel types to choose from, Electric Ireland solar panels are photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. PV solar panels use the sun’s radiation in order to generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect. This is different from other types of solar panels such as thermodynamic or solar thermal panels that rely on the heat from the sun.
What Are the Pros and Cons of PV Solar Panels?
Though they are the most popular, PV solar panels also have some drawbacks. Here are some of the pros and cons to photovoltaic panels:
What Are the Advantages of PV Solar Panels?
- Long Lifespan
PV solar panels have a long lifespan making them a great long term investment. The modern PV solar panels that you can nowadays will usually last for around 40 years with little maintenance needed. - Energy Independence
Since PV solar panels work both on sunny days and rainy days, you can have genuine independence from the grid by simply using the renewable energy from the sun. You can also export the electricity generated from your solar panels to make some money in return. - Cheaper Bills
Since with PV solar panels you are relying on your own energy generation, the power that you use from the grid will be less than you would otherwise have used. This means that you’ll get a cheaper monthly bill from your energy supplier! - Improve House Value
Solar panels on your roof improves your house’s energy efficiency. This means that after you get them installed your BER Rating will be reassessed and give your property a much higher grade for its energy efficiency. This will mean a higher home value in the future.
What Are the Disadvantages of Solar Panels?
- Don’t Work At Night
Since PV solar panels need sunlight in order to work, they won’t work at night. This means you'll still need to use other sources of energy after dark. This is the major drawback of solar panels. - Low Efficiency
PV solar panels tend to have a low efficiency rating of just over 20%. This is usually due to weather conditions and placement problems so you should make sure your home is properly assessed before investing in your solar panels. - Not Total Independence
Unfortunately, even with the best solar panels you’ll never be able to go off the grid completely. You’ll still need to rely on your energy supplier during the night and to pick up the rest of your energy needs at night and in rainy weather. - Costly To Repair
Solar panels usually don’t need much maintenance but when they break they can be very expensive to repair. You should look after your solar panels as best you can to avoid high maintenance costs.
Learn More in Our Solar Panel Guide!
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How Much Are Electric Ireland Solar Panels?
Working out the cost of Electric Ireland solar panels can be tricky since all houses are different and will require a bespoke quote in order to get an idea how much you might have to pay for them. However, since the Electric Ireland solar panels are photovoltaic, these usually cost over €4,000.
What Affects the Cost of Electric Ireland Solar Panels?
The cost of solar panels can vary due to the size of your property and the quality of solar panels. Since Electric Ireland partners with NRG Panels which supplies high quality panels to customers, they usually cost from around €8,000.
The size of your property will more likely than not be the biggest factor in your final quote. The bigger the property, the more panels you’ll need and the greater the cost. This cost is based on what’s known as their rated capacity, which is simply the maximum capacity that your solar panels can generate. The higher the capacity needed, the higher the cost.
Here’s a table breaking down the typical rated capacity for different types of properties:
| House Size | Rated Capacity | kWh per Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Bed Terraced | 3.28 kW | 2,856 kWh |
| 3-Bed Semi-Detached | 4.10 kW | 3,573 kWh |
| 4-Bed Detached | 4.92 kW | 4,323 kWh |
| 6-Bed Detached | 6.56 kW | 5,710 kWh |
Source: Purevolt
Last Updated: 10/02/2023
When Will I Earn My Money Back with Electric Ireland Solar Panels?
Solar panels are a long term investment and it usually takes a little while in order to earn back the money you’ve invested into them. It usually takes around 3 to 4 years for you to get a return on your investment, but given that your solar panels will last for upwards of 40 years, relatively it really is a short period of time.
Find Out More in Our Solar Panel Costs Guide!
Can I Get an Electric Ireland Solar Panel Grant?
There are no direct Electric Ireland solar panel grants, however you can still benefit from the same SEAI grants as everyone else in Ireland. These are grants that will pay for a part of the upfront costs for your solar panels and can help you offset the first initial costs.
How Can I Apply for the Solar Panel Grant Through Electric Ireland?
You can find the link for the SEAI grants application page on the Electric Ireland Solar Panel website. You just need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to its FAQ section and open the link ‘How do I apply for a grant?’ to find the link to the SEAI grants page. You can also go to the SEAI website directly.
What Requirements Are for SEAI Grants?
In order to qualify for an SEAI grant for the solar panels, you’ll need to fulfil the following requirements:
- Homeowner
You need to be a homeowner or the landlord in order to approve the installation and to apply for the loan. - Efficiency Certificate
You’ll need to arrange for all the electricity work to be done by a Safe Electric Ireland electrician. After you’ve finished the installation, you must also get a BER rating assessment of the property. - Distribution Connection
You will also need to apply for a connection to the Electricity Distribution System to ESB Networks. You’ll need to complete the ESB Networks NC6 form and send it off.
You don’t have to worry about the type of meter you have, whether it’s a normal credit meter, smart meter or a Electric Ireland Pay As You Go.
How Much Can I Get for a SEAI Grant?
The amount you can receive for your Electric Ireland solar panels will depend on how many you need. The SEAI will pay out €900 per kilowatt peak power (kWp) which increases incrementally by how much you need. There is a cap of €2,400 that the SEAI can pay your for your solar panels:
| Kilowatt Peak (kWp) | Grant Amount |
|---|---|
| 1 kWp | €900 |
| 2 kWp | €1800 |
| 3 kWp | €2100 |
| 4 kWp | €2400 |
Source: Citizen Information
Last Updated: 10/02/2023
Learn More in Our Solar Power Grants Guide!
What Else Do Electric Ireland Offer for Solar Panels?
Besides the PV solar panels, Electric Ireland also offers solar panel batteries as well as solar panels for farms. They also have a programme for microgenerators to export their electricity to the rest of the grid!
What Are Electric Ireland’s Solar Batteries Like?
Solar panel batteries are an important add-on to your solar power system. Instead of excess energy going to waste, the solar panel battery will store the energy for you to use later on. You can even use it as emergency power if you have a blackout since the energy doesn’t come from the grid.
Electric Ireland instals the Sonnen GmbH battery for its customers who want one. Unfortunately, there’s no pricing information available without a quote, but solar power batteries are usually an expensive extra, ranging from between €1,500 to €4,000 and you’re not able to get a grant for it.
Read More in Our Solar Panel Battery Guide!
How Does Electric Ireland Help with Farm Solar Power?
Electric Ireland provides solar panels for farms and offers a 10% discount if you are an Electric Ireland customer. A full solar panel system for your farm can be expensive, costing around €9,800 before VAT and can take a few days to complete depending on the size. However, having solar panels on your farm can boost your energy efficiency and also allow you to export to the grid.
How Does the Electric Ireland Microgeneration Work?
Electric Ireland currently has a programme for microgenerators to benefit from exporting their excess solar energy to the grid. How it works is, after getting your solar panels installed, you can get paid for the energy that you feed back into the grid for a rate of 21 cents per kWh. This is part of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG).
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How Can I Apply for Electric Ireland Solar Panels?
To apply for the Electric Ireland solar panels, you just need to give Electric Ireland a call on their solar panel number 1800 372 333 or you can email them on [email protected] for the Home Services team to give you a quote. You can also use the regular Electric Ireland contact information as well.
Do I Need To Be an Electric Ireland Customer?
You don’t need to be an Electric Ireland customer to have your solar panels installed through them. Since Electric Ireland is a registered solar panel company with the SEAI, they will be a qualified installer for you to get the grant as well. If you are a customer and have the Electric Ireland login you can benefit from discounts and other deals too whether your in Dublin or Cork!
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