Pinergy Reveals Untapped Solar Potential for Irish Homes

School’s out and Summer’s here, and with Met Éireann predicting a warmer-than-average season, we’re all enjoying those glorious, long, bright days. With the Summer Solstice on June 21st, marking the longest day of the year and the absolute peak for solar generation, Pinergy is revealing how this natural abundance can translate into real, tangible savings for Irish households. Forget just enjoying the sun; it’s time to harness it!

Across Ireland, thousands of savvy homeowners are already making the switch, turning their rooftops into mini power stations. In fact, solar generation here has soared by over 40% in the last year alone, with over 138,000 Irish homes having now installed rooftop solar, according to Solar Ireland, proving that more and more of us are discovering the brilliant value of going solar.

A typical 4 kWp residential solar panel system in Ireland is designed to generate approximately 3,400-4,200 kWh of clean electricity annually. This significant output contributes directly to reducing household bills and reliance on grid energy. For homeowners considering solar, the SEAI estimates the payback period is generally 7–10 years, depending on household usage and grant level.

During peak solar periods, such as the Summer Solstice, a system of this size could potentially generate up to 20kWh in a single sunny day. This equates to a household generating its own energy to power a range of household appliances including:

  • Washing machine (1kWh): 18 loads
  • Dishwasher (1.2 kWh): 15 cycles
  • Electric shower (7kWh): 2 full 10 min. showers
  • Immersion heater (3kWh/hr): 6 hours of hot water

For an average 3-bedroom semi-detached house, this could translate into benefits valued up to €466.20, comprising a saving of €223.20 on energy bills and €243 on export credits for selling your excess solar energy into the grid, providing a tangible way for homeowners to offset rising energy costs.

While solar panel adoption continues to grow nationwide, Pinergy’s analysis of industry data reveals interesting regional variations in solar uptake across Ireland. This data, based on installations per 1,000 people, highlights both areas of strong success and significant untapped potential.

Notably, listed counties like Wexford, Ireland’s sunniest county, alongside Dublin and Waterford, which also benefit from high sunshine hours ranking second and third respectively, currently exhibit lower and varying levels of solar panel installation relative to their average sunshine hours.

While Wexford leads these specific regions, ranking 4th nationally for installs per 1,000 people, Waterford (12th) and Dublin (24th) are considerably behind despite their abundant natural resource. This disparity underscores the untapped potential for homeowners in these sun-rich areas to further embrace solar energy and reap its rewards.

In a compelling contrast, counties such as Wicklow, Meath, and Clare are emerging as notable ‘Solar Superstars’. These regions demonstrate robust solar adoption rates, even though they experience lower average sunshine hours annually. Wicklow, for instance, despite ranking 5th in average sunshine hours, impressively holds the highest solar adoption rate per 1,000 people nationally. Similarly, Meath (10th in sunshine hours) ranks second in solar adoption, closely followed by Clare (16th in sunshine hours). This proactive embrace of renewable energy demonstrates the growing awareness and adoption of solar even in areas with less sunshine.

Commenting on the data, Kieran Larkin, head of residential solar at Pinergy, said, “The Summer Solstice serves as a powerful reminder of the immense energy potential available to us naturally. As Ireland anticipates a sunnier summer, the opportunity for solar energy to significantly transform home power consumption and reduce household bills is more compelling than ever.”

He continued, “While we observe encouraging progress in solar adoption, there are clearly areas of substantial untapped potential. This period presents an opportune moment for Irish homeowners to thoroughly explore the financial and environmental benefits that solar energy can offer.’

Pinergy encourages homeowners to initially organise a free home survey with a SEAI approved installer, before then exploring the SEAI Home Energy Grants scheme. These grants offer up to €1,800 for domestic solar PV installations. Combined with the Clean Export Guarantee, which allows homeowners to sell excess solar energy back to the grid, there has never been a better time to go solar!

Follow Pinergy’s simple five-step S.O.L.A.R process when it comes to embarking on a potential solar installation:

  1. Speak: Call a solar energy team and get advice on the best way for you to go solar.
  2. Organise: Pick a date for the site survey, where an energy expert will discuss your home’s solar potential with you.
  3. Liaise: Get a quote, pay a deposit, and arrange for your house to be energy rated. Your chosen team will also help you access grants and funding, and organise a team of experienced installers to fit your panels and system.
  4. Activate: After the planning phase, it’s time for the installation. This process usually takes two days – the panels are installed on Day 1, and the electrical setup is completed on Day 2.
  5. Ready: With all the equipment in place and set up on the monitoring app, you’re ready to go! You can now start saving money and even make money by selling the extra energy you generate back to the grid.