Solar panel grant in Ireland (2026)

The grant is paid on the size of the panel system (its peak output in kilowatts, kWp). The first 2kWp earn €700 each. Each kWp after that, up to 4kWp, earns €200. A bigger system than 4kWp is allowed, but the grant stops at €1,800.

On a qualifying welfare payment, such as Fuel Allowance, SEAI pays more since 6 October 2026: €3,350 per kWp up to 2kWp, then €850 for each extra kWp up to 4kWp. That is €6,700 for 2kWp, €7,550 for 3kWp and €8,400 for 4kWp, plus €600 for a battery of 5 kWh or more, up to €9,000 in all.

The grant is only paid for the size, type and installer named in your grant offer. If you want to change any of them, email SEAI’s solar team before the work starts.

• Age of the home: built and occupied before 2025. Until 6 October 2026 it was before 2021, so a home built from 2021 to 2024 can apply now.
• Electricity meter: the home needs an MPRN, and there must be no earlier SEAI solar PV grant at that MPRN.
• Who can apply: all homeowners, including private landlords, plus owner management companies and approved housing bodies.
• Approval first: you must have your grant offer before any work starts.
• On a qualifying welfare payment: since 6 October 2026, homeowners on Fuel Allowance and the other Warmer Homes payments can get up to €8,400 for solar panels (€6,700 for 2kWp, €7,550 for 3kWp, €8,400 for 4kWp) and €600 for a battery of 5 kWh or more, up to €9,000 in all, through a registered company they choose. See the Warmer Homes guide for the payments.
• Dublin homes let through RAS: a home with a long-term tenant on a Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) payment through Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal or South Dublin council can get up to €9,000 for solar panels with a battery. Ask the council for a letter confirming it before you apply.
• Registered company: your installer must be an SEAI-registered solar PV company, and the company in your offer must be the one that does the job.

Most homes no longer need planning permission for rooftop panels, but there are exceptions, for example protected structures and some areas near airports. Your installer should check this for your home.

These are SEAI’s median costs for grant-aided solar PV completed from January to June 2026. Your price depends on the number of panels, your roof, and whether you add a battery or an EV charger. Ask each company how much electricity the system should produce in a year, what warranty they give and whether your roof suits solar.

Many solar companies take the grant off their price. You still apply for the grant yourself, and on your application you give SEAI the company’s bank account for the grant. Otherwise you pay the installer in full and SEAI pays the grant into your account once the work is done, the paperwork is in and your post-works BER is published. That usually takes 4 to 6 weeks. You can also be paid for surplus electricity you export to the grid, through your electricity supplier’s Clean Export Guarantee tariff.

SEAI median costs of individual energy upgrades

Since 6 October 2026 SEAI pays a flat €600 for a home battery of 5 kWh or more, on top of the solar panel grant. If you are getting panels and a battery, one application covers both. If your solar application is already in, you make a new application for the battery without changing it, before the battery work starts. Read our solar battery grant guide.

Before installing, your solar company applies to ESB Networks to connect the system (the NC6 form). SEAI says this usually takes at least 4 weeks, so build it into your timeline. After installation, the company uploads the paperwork to SEAI, including the Declaration of Works, the commissioning certificate, the Safe Electric certificate and photos of the installation.