How much is the solar water heating grant?
€1,200, whatever the type or size of your home.
SEAI solar thermal grant guide
Solar water heating grant in Ireland (2026)
A €1,200 grant for solar thermal panels, which use the sun to heat your hot water rather than to make electricity.
Quick answer: SEAI pays a fixed €1,200 towards a solar thermal (solar water heating) system, whatever the size of your home. The home must have been built and occupied before 2021 and have an MPRN, and you need the grant offer before work starts. SEAI says these systems are designed to meet 50 to 60% of a home’s yearly hot water needs.
Updated 25 September 2026 · Checked against SEAI.ie
✓ Independent guidance✓ Checked against official sources✓ Help on WhatsApp
At a glance
| Grant | €1,200, the same for every home type |
|---|---|
| Home must be | Built and occupied before 2021, with an MPRN |
| What it does | Heats hot water from the sun: designed to meet 50 to 60% of yearly hot water needs |
| Who can apply | Owner-occupiers, landlords, holiday home owners, companies, charities and approved housing bodies |
| Contractor | An SEAI-registered contractor for solar thermal |
| Traditional homes | Eligible |
Solar thermal or solar PV?
Both use panels on your roof, but they do different jobs. Solar thermal panels heat water, which is stored in a cylinder for your taps and showers. Solar PV panels make electricity, which you use in the home or export to the grid.
Each has its own SEAI grant: €1,200 for solar thermal, and up to €1,800 for solar PV (see our solar panel grant guide). Which suits you depends on your hot water use, your roof and your heating system. A registered installer can advise, or ask us on WhatsApp.
Who can get the solar water heating grant?
- Age of the home: built and occupied before 2021.
- Electricity meter: the home needs an MPRN.
- Who can apply: owner-occupiers, private and commercial landlords, holiday home owners, companies, owner management companies, registered charities and approved housing bodies.
- Approval first: you must have your grant offer before any work starts.
Not sure whether solar thermal or solar PV suits you? Ask us.
Chat on WhatsAppHow to apply for the solar water heating grant
Get quotes from SEAI-registered contractors
Check each contractor is registered for solar thermal, and get a written contract for the work, price, timing and warranty.
Apply online and accept your grant offer
You need your MPRN, your contractor’s name and ID, your home type and the year it was built. Accept within 30 days.
Get the system installed
You have 8 months from the grant offer.
Book a post-works BER
A registered BER assessor rates your home after the work. SEAI pays a €50 grant towards it.
Submit the forms and get paid
Send the Declaration of Works and Request for Payment. SEAI usually pays within 4 to 6 weeks.
Free help on WhatsApp
Ask us about your home.
Tell us about your home and what you want to improve. We explain what may apply, help with the paperwork and, if you want, arrange a callback from a registered contractor where we have a partner in your area.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between solar thermal and solar PV?
Solar thermal panels heat water for your taps and showers. Solar PV panels generate electricity. SEAI has a separate grant for each: €1,200 for solar thermal and up to €1,800 for solar PV.
How much hot water will solar thermal provide?
SEAI says solar thermal systems are designed to meet 50 to 60% of a home’s yearly hot water needs. The rest comes from your existing heating.
Does my home qualify?
If it was built and occupied before 2021 and has an MPRN, it is likely to qualify. SEAI’s online application confirms eligibility.
Can HomeGrants help?
Yes. Ask us on WhatsApp whether solar thermal or solar PV suits your home and what to ask installers.
Related guides
Sources and review
We checked this guide against the official pages below on 25 September 2026. Grant rules change, so the official source always has the final word.