One of the biggest misconceptions of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels is that they only generate electricity when the sun is shining. One in three Irish homeowners believe that, according to new research from Bord Gáis Energy. This knowledge gap of the benefits of solar is holding many households back from monetising their rooftops.

Solar PV panels harness energy from sunlight and convert it into electricity for use in the home, powering everyday appliances like your kettle, TV, phone charger, and oven. They provide a clean, renewable source of energy.

As Ireland is renowned for its unenviable stretch of grey sky and dull drizzle – especially in the winter – many assume we’re an unlikely candidate for good solar power. But solar systems are designed to work efficiently even on cloudy and rainy days, which is why the country has seen record levels of solar power on the grid. Solar energy generated more than 6.5% of Ireland’s electricity in May, double the amount of the same period last year.

Valerie Hand, retrofit manager of Bord Gáis Energy, emphasises that solar is “not just for sunny weather.”

“Once it’s bright outside, that’s what you need to get the benefit from your solar panels.

“While 70% of the electricity that would be sold back to the grid is generated between March and September, there’s still some that is generated in the colder months as well.”

Valerie explains that solar installation is also “non-invasive” to your property.

“It only takes a day or two to get all of the work end-to-end done, and it’s low maintenance. You have a 25 to 30-year warranty on solar panels on your roof.”

Apart from generating electricity for your home, the excess electricity that the solar panels generate can be sold back to the grid to make money. This is something that just over half of Irish households are aware of, according to Bord Gáis.

How much money are we talking? If your home with solar panels sends 8 kWh [kilowatt-hour, a unit of energy] back to the grid each day at the current Bord Gáis Energy export rate of €0.185 per kWh, that equates to €1.48 per day. So if it’s a particular sunny week (think back to those summer heatwaves), you could earn €10.35.

Of course, one oft-cited stumbling block with solar is affordability. The fact that customers can save on 50-70% on their electricity bills with rooftop solar panels is very attractive. Less appealing, however, is the cost of installing them in the first place.

While the price is different for each household and will vary depending on the installer, a typical solar PV system costs somewhere in the region of €8,000-€10,000.

There is financial support available from the Government to make that upfront investment a little more manageable. SEAI offers a Solar Electricity Grant to support homeowners in installing solar PV panels. The grant is available to:

Once approved, homeowners have eight months to complete the works, and a post-works BER assessment is required before payment is issued. The Solar PV Scheme through the SEAI provides up to €1,800 in grant value.

It’s important to note however, that not everyone is eligible for the full amount. It depends on how many panels you are getting installed. You can calculate how much you may be eligible for on the Payback Calculator on the SEAI website.

The grant is paid on a pro rata basis [proportional] a spokesperson from the SEAI told Irish Country Living. For example, a 2.5kWp system the grant value would be €1,500.

The financial savings from solar PV depend on individual home energy usage and system size. To estimate potential savings and payback time, SEAI provides a solar electricity calculator.

Solar on farms

Besides households, the launch of solar within the farming community has also taken off. Peter Clarke, head of rooftop solar at the IFA says. “We launched Bord Gáis IFA solar two years ago to reduce input costs for farmers when the war in Ukraine started, and also to try and get farmers on the right side of the green debate about carbon reduction.

“Currently we are engaged on installations with farmers on over 400 farms.

“Really the big game changer has been the changes to Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), a grant for farmers around modernising farms. To make rooftop solar work, farmers can receive up to 60% of the eligible cost of installing a solar PV system.

“Dairy farmers are getting their money paid back in about two years. Dry stock farmers are getting average paybacks in and around four years. And pigs and poultry are also in and around two years.

“Having a payback of somewhere between two and four years for a system that will continue to generate savings and energy for 30 years is a no-brainer for farmers at the moment.”

As the chill of autumn sets in, now may not seem like the obvious time to be talking about solar panels. The sun isn’t exactly shining. However, there are benefits to an autumn installation.

Waiting lists are shorter, prices are more competitive, and now is also a time when we see a spike in their energy costs which can be offset by installing solar panels.

Challenges

Everyone who has solar PV installed on their home, farm, or business has the right to sell surplus electricity to the grid and get paid for it. For homeowners, this often comes in the form of a rebate on your electricity bill from your supplier.

However, remember that the most valuable use of solar PV electricity is to displace imported electricity, so try to make use of every kilowatt you generate. That could include installing a battery, charging an electric vehicle (EV), or using smart appliances to consume energy when it’s being produced.

For farms, the same principle applies. But farmers, who typically install larger systems than households, are running into roadblocks with Ireland’s aging electricity grid. Many are finding that, even if they want to install a larger system, they are limited by the weak local grid, and the cost of upgrading can be prohibitive.

Bord Gáis Energy is now offering free home consultation for homeowners. See bordgaisenergy.ie/solar. Find out more about the solar electricity grant at seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/individual-grants/solar-electricity-grant.