Thinking about going solar? Nice one! In this post, we’ll cover the costs of solar in Ireland in 2025 – plus, handy tips to help you get the best value for your money. We’ll answer your questions on pricing, shopping for (and choosing between) Solar PV companies. We’ll also give you a heads-up on how costs might change in the future.
Table of Contents
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost In Ireland?
At the time of writing, solar panels for homes in Ireland typically range from €3,500 – €9,500, including a grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Solar Electricity Grant, by the way, is a government initiative that offers eligible homeowners up to €1,800 towards the cost of Solar PV installation – see our grants page for details.
Meanwhile, commercial solar panel installation for SMEs might cost around €18,000, or more.
Here’s what you might pay to install Solar PV: depending on your type of home, the number of panels you opt for and the system size you choose (excluding grants). On the higher end of the range are families who seek greater energy independence. Maybe they use a heat pump, a power diverter or a solar battery – and they want a larger system, plus more solar panels to meet their energy needs.
| House Type | System Size | Number of Panels | Useful For | Cost After Grant |
| 2-bed terraced | 3.28kW | 7+ | A couple who wants lower electricity bills | From €4,900 |
| 3-bed semi-detatched | 4.4kW | 10 | Families with moderate electricity use | From €6,600 |
| 4-bed detatched | 5.3kW | 12 | Families with higher energy consumption, e.g. a parent works from home | From €7,900 |
Not sure where your home fits on the solar cost scale? Our trusted installers can advise you on the best options and give you a clear, no-obligations quote to help you compare.
What Affects The Cost Of Solar Panels?
Spending anywhere between €3,500 and €9,500 for your solar panel installation is a wide range, right? So how can you influence the final solar panel system price? Well, how much you’ll pay for your panels depends on a few key factors…
1. Number of panels
As you’ll have probably twigged from our above table, this is an important one: as the more panels you have, the more electricity you’ll generate…and the lower your energy bills will be.
For instance, if you live in a small terraced home and install a 2kW system with 5 panels you can reduce your electricity bill. But if your house has 3 or 4 bedrooms and you want to cover, say, over half of your family’s energy needs, you’d probably need a bigger system, like 5kW – and to install 10–12 panels to generate enough power.
Top Tip: In general, a domestic Solar PV system should cost around €1,500 – €2,000 per kW installed. Now use that figure to get calculating costs!
Of course, your home’s design and roof space will also affect the number of panels you can install. Our solar installers typically recommend filling all of your available roof space with solar panels for the most value.
Want to check your own roof’s suitability for solar? We’ve written an entire post about it. Enjoy!
2. Quality level
When we’re talking about quality, we mean the materials used in your Solar PV system…and the service providers who supply and install it. Higher quality panels and brands may cost more, but they’re also more efficient and will last you longer. They tend to have greater warranties, too: look for ones with 25 years+.
In terms of installation quality, try to avoid going for the lowest quote on the market – if it’s suspiciously lower than the rest, there’s probably a reason. You get what you pay for, after all…and good workmanship ensures that your system is installed correctly, safely, and seamlessly. It doesn’t look like an eyesore. And it doesn’t result in a) weeks of your life wasted or b) a huge mess in your home.
By choosing one of our reputable solar installers, who only work with top-quality brands and who provide after-care support, you can protect your investment in solar – and give your home a brighter future.
3. Any extras?
You might like to add any or all of the following elements to your solar panel system, which will bring up the cost further…
Solar Batteries
By choosing a solar battery, you can save excess solar energy for times when you need it most: like in the evening, at peak energy tariff times (for even lower bills) or for cloudy/rainy days. While it does involve an upfront cost (starting at €1,500), a battery can give you more control over your solar power – and how you choose to use it.
Still, batteries may not be for everyone – especially now that the Clean Export Guarantee allows homeowners to earn money for excess electricity sent back to the national grid. So you might be better off skipping a battery and buying more solar panels, or a power diverter, instead.
Blackout Protection
Handy for those living in areas with frequent power cuts, blackout protection keeps your lights and some small appliances on, even when the power goes down. You’ll have to install a compatible battery, however, and add an extra €1,800 to the cost of your solar panel installation for the wiring involved.
Changeover Switches
In times of a power cut, standard solar systems will shut down – this is to protect any utility supplier crews who are working on the power lines. A changeover switch, however, lets you fully disconnect your house from the outside grid – meaning you can draw on the saved power from your solar battery, or the power your panels are generating, without sending any of it to the public lines.
You’ll need a battery system and a hybrid inverter (which can receive input from batteries and solar panels) – but once you have the setup in place, you can easily and safely switch to working or running your home off-grid in times of a power cut.
Power Diverters
Fancy hot water on tap, without stressing about your energy bill? Well, adding a power diverter to your PV system is a cost-effective way to use up your extra solar power…by directing it to heat water in your home.
Prices range from around €220 to €500 – and we’d recommend a reliable brand like the MyEnergi Eddi for better performance. Guilt-free hot showers await!
Inverters
So technically, this isn’t an ‘extra’ – all quality Solar PV systems should include an inverter as they’re where the magic happens! Inverters convert DC electricity from your solar panels into usable AC electricity: which you can then use to power up your home.
Still, when shopping for solar, you should also look into the type and quality of inverter being offered. Make sure it comes from a reputable brand (Fronius, Enpahse and SMA are all recommended). However, bear in mind that technology changes quickly – so chat to your installer about the best brands, particularly the ones with a decent warranty (as inverters tend to have a higher failure rate than panels).
Prices range from the poorer-quality inverters (starting at around €300) to the more reputable options – some of which include remote monitoring – which cost around €800. As inverters are essentially the brains of the solar panel system, it’s definitely worth paying more for great quality.
Buyer’s Guide: Tips For Getting A Quote & Choosing A System
Finding the best solar panel quote isn’t as straightforward as getting the “best deal”. As we mentioned above, the cheapest price rarely means the best quality – and you don’t want to have to replace your panels a few years after installation thanks to shoddy workmanship.
So when researching solar panels for your home, remember these tips:
- Get quotes from multiple installers. Don’t just go with the first company; when it comes to solar installation quotes, more is more!
- Compare the quality of the products and services offered. Not all quotes are created equal. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
- Consider the experience and reputation of the installer. Ask for references and check online reviews.
- Ask about aftersales support. You can find details of this in reviews but ask directly, too: “Do you provide ongoing technical and maintenance support? For how long after installation?”
System size matters! If a supplier is trying to pressure you into a large, expensive system that doesn’t take your household’s energy consumption into account, keep looking. The best solar companies offer a personalised quote: with system size and number of panels tailored to your individual needs.
The Solar Panel Spectrum
With so many companies operating in the solar industry in Ireland right, the research process can seem a bit daunting. To help you through it, here’s what to expect when gathering your quotes….and working out whether those solar panel costs are really worth it.
Solar panels – and the companies installing them – typically fall into the following categories:
- Dubious quality: These solar panel brands don’t have much of a track record – and in some cases, they might not even display a brand at all! Although they’ll likely be much cheaper, they’ll probably produce less power than specified, especially as the years go on. Our verdict? Not worth the risk.
- Good quality: A decent solar panel system doesn’t have to cost you the earth. Mid-range brands can still deliver enough energy to cover a good portion of your household’s consumption…and will stand the test of time, too. You can add on warranty coverage for more peace of mind: it won’t be too expensive. Our verdict? Read the installer’s reviews and chat to their team.
Premium quality: Sure, they may cost around €250 extra per kilowatt – but the upside of choosing the best is much greater efficiency per panel, a larger output of energy, plus a system that blends in easily with your roof. Premium panels are typically manufactured in Europe or South Korea and they have extended warranties backed by the most reputable solar companies. Our verdict? If you can afford the best, go for it!
Getting Value For Money – And Finding The Best Solar Panel Quote For You
In our experience, it’s well worth paying more for good-quality workmanship. With proper installation, your panels will last longer and will work more efficiently. A reputable installer will route cables neatly or out of sight entirely, and place your panels as tidily as possible. Most importantly, they’ll never take shortcuts on safety.
Sometimes the solar industry doesn’t make all that much sense. Some solar installers offer excellent quality products and services at keen prices, while others charge twice as much for less-than-worthy products.
It can be stressful, trying to navigate it all – so that’s where we come in. Energy Hero is here to help you find the best quotes from top-quality solar installers around Ireland. Meaning you have the knowledge, and the power, to choose a brand you can trust…and install a solar panel system that’ll bring sunnier days to your household, for decades to come.
Average Cost of Solar Panels
In the table at the beginning of this post, we shared a price range based on your type of house, the number of panels you might be able to fit and the system size that you might choose to cover your needs.
But what solution are most homeowners in Ireland choosing right now? And how much are they paying for it?
Well, the average Irish household uses around 4,200 kWh of electricity per year. If you really want to get value out of your new solar system, you should aim to cover at least 75% of your energy consumption – meaning that average home would need 8–10 panels, most likely with a 4kW system or higher. Which would cost around €6,200 – €6,600, including an SEAI grant.
To determine your own average costs – across different system sizes and number of panels – we recommend getting at least 2 solar quotes to see what you might end up spending.
Ready to find the most relevant solar quotes for your home?
Let us know what you're looking for, and we'll arrange for you to get 2-4 quotes from trusted solar companies in your area.
Is Solar Getting More Expensive?
Good news: nope, solar panels are actually getting cheaper! Although the typical price of Solar PV installations in Ireland rose a little in 2022 – due to higher wholesale prices for panels, higher operating costs for installers and an increased demand for solar (which meant less of a need for competitive prices), it’s now a great time to invest in solar power for your home.
For one, as of May 2023, the government abolished VAT on domestic solar panels – meaning that overnight, solar panel prices dropped by 13.5%. That’s pretty huge, right?!
For another, the SEAI grant amounts you can access right now to support you with installation costs are set to decrease over the coming years, and may be phased out entirely by 2028. So, although solar panels are fairly affordable right now, they might be more expensive again in a few years’ time, without the support of grants in place. Another reason to act sooner, rather than later.
Finally, electricity prices are just going to keep getting higher. So why not safeguard your home’s savings, gain more control over your energy consumption – and how much you pay for it – while earning extra cash for your efforts, too?
And those reasons to invest are just financial. There are also the many other benefits of installing solar, like enjoying a more comfortable, warmer home: no doubt supported by the warm ‘n’ fuzzy feeling of knowing you’re doing your bit to support a more sustainable future in Ireland.
Conclusion: The Future Looks Bright For Solar!
And it can be bright for your home, too: with lower bills, more energy efficiency and the chance to keep generating your own clean electricity for decades to come.
You’ve got all the information now: how much a system might cost you (depending on the factors we’ve outlined), how to choose a reputable company and why it’s the perfect time to invest in Solar PV.
As for the next steps, we recommend reading the posts we’ve linked to below, checking out a couple of solar companies, chatting to them about your home and getting a few home assessments/quotes.
When you feel you’ve met your match, then it’s time to set an installation date – and get ready to bring more sunshine into your home.
Ready to see the light? Then we’re ready to send you some quotes!
