Solar Panel Directory Ireland

A typical residential solar PV installation in Ireland — a 4kWp system (10 panels) with inverter and installation — costs between €7,000 and €9,000 before the SEAI grant. After the SEAI Solar PV Home Grant of up to €1,800, most homeowners pay €5,200–€7,200 all-in. Prices vary by county, roof type and installer. Premium panels (REC Alpha, SunPower Maxeon) add €500–€1,500 to the system cost but come with better warranties and performance.

Yes — the SEAI Solar PV Home Grant provides €900 per kWp up to €1,800, which meaningfully reduces the upfront cost. On top of this, a typical 4kWp Irish system saves €600–€900 per year on electricity bills, giving a payback period of roughly 7–10 years before grant and 6–8 years after. Once paid back, you have 20–30 years of near-free electricity. Adding the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff — which pays you for surplus electricity exported to the grid — shortens payback further. You must apply and receive a Letter of Offer from SEAI before installation begins or you forfeit the grant entirely.

For a typical 3-bedroom Irish home using 4,000–5,000 kWh per year, a 4kWp system (10 panels) is the standard recommendation. This generates approximately 3,400–3,800 kWh per year based on Ireland's irradiance of 850–950 kWh/kWp/yr. With modern 430–440W panels, a 4kWp system needs 10 panels. Smaller homes or apartments may suit a 2–3kWp system (5–7 panels). Larger homes or those with EVs benefit from a 5–6kWp system. An SEAI-registered installer will assess your roof size, orientation and usage to recommend the right size.

Yes — solar panels generate electricity from daylight, not direct sunshine. Ireland receives 850–1,100 kWh of solar irradiance per kWp per year, depending on location. The south and southeast of the country (Cork, Wexford, Waterford) receive the most; the northwest (Donegal, Sligo) the least — but even at the lower end, a well-sized system is financially viable. N-type panels (TOPCon, HJT, IBC) are specifically better in diffuse light conditions than standard PERC panels, making them the preferred choice for Irish roofs. Germany — with less sunshine than Ireland — is one of the world's largest solar markets, which puts Ireland's solar viability firmly in context.

In most cases, no planning permission is required for residential solar PV panels in Ireland. Under the 2022 planning exemptions, solar panels on the roof of a house are exempt from planning permission provided they do not exceed the plane of the roof and total capacity is under 6kWp. Exceptions apply to protected structures (listed buildings), certain Architectural Conservation Areas, and properties with specific planning conditions. Your installer will confirm exemption status during the site survey. Commercial and agricultural installations may have different requirements.

For most Irish homeowners, N-type TOPCon or HJT panels offer the best combination of performance, longevity and value in Irish conditions. The LONGi Hi-MO 6 is Ireland's most popular panel — reliable, competitively priced, and widely stocked by Irish installers. For the best low-light performance (important in Ireland's diffuse light climate), the REC Alpha Pure Black and SunPower Maxeon 3 lead on technology. For aesthetics, any all-black panel (Q CELLS BLK, REC Alpha Pure Black, SunPower Maxeon) is virtually invisible on a dark roof. The "best" panel depends on your budget, roof colour, warranty priorities and whether you're pairing with a battery — the panels in this directory cover every profile.

Yes — solar panels and an EV are the most effective energy combination available to Irish homeowners. A 4kWp solar system generates approximately 3,400–3,800 kWh per year in Ireland. A typical EV uses 15–18 kWh per 100km, so this system can power roughly 18,000–24,000 km of free EV driving annually. For maximum solar EV charging, pair your panels with a solar-integrated EV charger like the myenergi Zappi, which uses Eco+ mode to charge your car directly from surplus solar generation rather than the grid. See our EV Charger Directory for compatible chargers.

Most solar panels carry a 25–30 year performance warranty, guaranteeing output doesn't fall below 80–87% of original rated power over that period. The SunPower Maxeon 3 offers an exceptional 40-year performance guarantee. In practice, panels often continue producing usable power well beyond their warranty period. Annual degradation rates for modern N-type TOPCon and HJT panels are around 0.4–0.5% per year — meaning after 25 years a panel is still producing 88–90% of its original output. Ireland's mild, wet climate is actually gentler on panels than hotter climates — high temperatures accelerate degradation more than cold or rain.