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🇮🇪 Solar Calculator Ireland

Enter your monthly electricity bill and city — get solar system size, SEAI grant up to €1,800, MSS export income compared across all major suppliers, and payback period.

Your electricity details
€EUR
Solar system results — Ireland
4 kWp system — 847 kWh/kWp/yr
Monthly kWh usage316 kWh/mo
Annual solar production3,387 kWh/yr
SEAI grant-€1,800
Net system cost (after grant)€4,200
Self-consumption savings€515/yr
Export income (MSS scheme)€488/yr
Total annual benefit€1,003/yr
Payback period4.2 years
25-year net savings€20,865
Export income by supplier (2,032 kWh exported)
SupplierRateExport/yrTotal benefit
Electric Ireland19.5c€396€911
Energia18.5c€376€891
Bord Gáis Energy24.0c€488€1,003
SSE Airtricity21.0c€427€942
SEAI grant breakdown: €700/kWp for first 2kWp + €200/kWp from 2–4kWp = max €1,800 for 4kWp systems. No additional grant above 4kWp. Apply via SEAI.ie — grant is paid after installation. Use an SEAI-registered installer.
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your monthly bill and city

Enter your average monthly electricity bill in Euro from your Irish supplier (Electric Ireland, Bord Gáis Energy, Energia, SSE Airtricity, or others). The calculator uses a blended retail rate of €0.38/kWh — among the highest in Europe, which is why solar paybacks in Ireland can be surprisingly competitive despite moderate sunshine. Select your city: Cork (3.1 PSH) is sunniest; Belfast (2.7 PSH) has the least solar resource.

Choose your system size — the SEAI grant matters

The SEAI (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland) grant is structured to maximise value at 4kWp: €700/kWp for the first 2kWp plus €200/kWp from 2–4kWp, giving a maximum grant of €1,800 for a 4kWp system. Systems above 4kWp receive no additional grant but can export more electricity. For most homes, 4kWp hits the sweet spot of maximum grant with good self-consumption.

Compare export rates by supplier

Under Ireland's Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS), suppliers offer different export tariffs. Bord Gáis Energy currently leads at 24c/kWh; Energia offers the lowest at 18.5c/kWh. The MSS export tariff is guaranteed for 15 years under the scheme. The calculator shows a comparison table of all major supplier export incomes for your chosen system.

The Formula

Monthly kWh = Monthly Bill ÷ €0.38/kWh (blended retail rate) Annual production = kWp × PSH × 365 × 0.80 efficiency SEAI grant = €700/kWp (first 2kWp) + €200/kWp (2–4kWp) = max €1,800 Self-consumption savings = Self-consumed kWh × €0.38/kWh retail Export income = Exported kWh × MSS supplier rate (18.5c–24c/kWh) VAT = 0% on solar equipment and installation (since 2023) Payback = (System cost − SEAI grant) ÷ Annual benefit

Ireland's Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) came into force in 2022 and requires all licensed electricity suppliers with more than 10,000 customers to offer an export tariff to residential micro-generators. The 0% VAT on solar panels and installation for private dwellings was introduced in the Finance Act 2023. All installers must be registered with the SEAI — use seai.ie to verify. The SEAI grant is paid directly to the installer and deducted from your invoice, so you never need to handle it yourself.

Example

Siobhán — Cork semi-detached, 4kWp, Bord Gáis

Siobhán pays €120/month in Cork. She installs a 4kWp system to maximise the SEAI grant and chooses Bord Gáis for the highest export rate.

Monthly bill€120
City / PSHCork, 3.1 PSH
System size4 kWp
SupplierBord Gáis Energy (24c/kWh)

Result

Annual production~3,627 kWh/yr
SEAI grant-€1,800
Self-consumption savings~€552/yr
Export income (Bord Gáis 24c)~€523/yr
Total annual benefit~€1,075/yr
Net cost after grant~€5,000–7,000
Payback~5.6 years
25-year net savings~€20,875

If Siobhán chose Electric Ireland instead (19.5c/kWh export), her export income would be ~€425/yr instead of €523/yr — a difference of €98/yr or almost €2,500 over 25 years. Supplier choice matters significantly for solar economics in Ireland.

FAQ

The SEAI solar PV grant is structured as: €700 per kWp for the first 2kWp, plus €200 per kWp from 2kWp up to 4kWp — giving a maximum grant of €1,800 for a 4kWp system. There is no additional grant for systems above 4kWp. The grant is paid directly to your SEAI-registered installer, so it is deducted from your invoice. Apply via SEAI.ie using a registered installer. Grant amounts were correct as of 2025 and subject to change.
The Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) requires all large electricity suppliers in Ireland to offer an export tariff to residential solar owners. Export tariffs currently range from 18.5c/kWh (Energia) to 24c/kWh (Bord Gáis Energy). The tariff is guaranteed for 15 years once you sign a MSS agreement with your supplier. You need a smart meter (installed free by ESB Networks) to participate. Apply through your electricity supplier after commissioning your solar system.
Yes — Ireland's high electricity prices (among the highest in Europe at ~€0.38/kWh) make solar worthwhile despite the moderate sunshine. A well-installed 4kWp system in Cork or Limerick can achieve payback in 5–7 years. The combination of SEAI grant + 0% VAT + MSS export tariff makes Ireland one of the better-subsidised solar markets in Europe. Even Dublin and Galway with lower PSH values are viable — the economics are driven more by retail electricity price than sunshine levels.
As of 2025–2026: Bord Gáis Energy offers the highest MSS export rate at 24c/kWh. SSE Airtricity pays 21c/kWh; Electric Ireland pays 19.5c/kWh; Energia pays 18.5c/kWh. These rates can change and you should verify directly with each supplier. Switching supplier solely for a higher export rate is possible — check if the export tariff is locked for 15 years before switching. Some suppliers also offer better import tariffs that may offset a lower export rate.
No — since the Finance Act 2023, solar panels, inverters, batteries, and installation labor for residential properties are zero-rated for VAT in Ireland. This removed the 13.5% VAT that previously applied to installation and the 23% VAT on equipment, reducing system costs significantly. Ensure your installer quotes you at 0% VAT. Commercial installations still attract standard VAT rates.

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