SUPPORT FOR SOLAR TO SHINE IN 2026
Updated December 12th, 2025
By Morgan Pierce
Black Friday. Cyber-Monday. Small shop Saturday. By this stage we have all gotten savvy about the economic realities underpinning the sales push the marks the run up to the holidays.
Retailers eek out the first 10 months of the year in the hope that sales in the six weeks preceding Christmas will see them safely in the black for another year.
The sales and price-drops reflect a calculation on the part of business – when does a reduced price generate sufficient additional sales momentum so that the volume of sales outweighs the amount lost between the premium price and the sale price? All those “crazy prices” are a way of getting as many of us into the shops as possible.
Grant schemes, like the support for solar installation operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEAI) operate on a similar principle. Giving homeowners the gift of a lump sum toward the installation of solar panels is the Government’s way of getting as many of us to make the change to renewables as possible. And, as noted by Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien in late November, the tactic has been working.
“Stop. Reverse” That was the clear reaction from O’Brien as he instructed that SEAI grants to homeowners for the installation of solar be maintained at 2025 levels.
The grants were previously scheduled to drop to a maximum of €1,500 on January 1, 2026, and a further €300 per year until being phased out entirely. That plan now seems to be on hold.
“People have responded to the grants,” the Minister told the Irish Times, “Solar’s flying and we need to keep going.”
It seems with this decision that Government has taken note not just of the success of support for solar, the grant process, and the “rooftop revolution” it helped to unleash, but of the serious pressures on consumers. The cost of living remains an enormous concern to most families, with energy prices stubbornly high.
Support For Solar Beyond 2026
Maintaining support for solar and the grant at the current level will ensure that more families are able to make the transition away from fossil fuels. Coming now, the decision gives a degree of certainty to homeowners considering installations. It’s clear that at senior levels of Government, there is recognition that financial support remains crucial, especially for less well-off households who might be deterred by the upfront cost of installation.
We’d like, however, to see Minister O’Brien go even further. His announcement that grants for 2026 would be maintained at current levels came without any reassurance about the road ahead. There is no clear public road-map guaranteeing what grant levels will be from 2027 onward i.e. whether the scheme will stay stable, slide again, or be phased out as originally planned.
Some colleagues in our industry have said that to truly make solar accessible, especially to new builds or for business and farm premises, the scheme needs reform. “The Minister needs to build on this positive move,” Micro-Renewable Energy Federation Chair Ciaran Kells told The Farmers Journal, “by removing the restriction on anyone who has a home or business premises built after 2020 who are [currently] prevented from getting this support.”
Kells is right.
It seems safe to assume that 2027 will see some review of the SEAI scheme, either maintaining grant levels, adjusting them, or changing eligibility requirements. And the notion of phasing the program out entirely has not been taken off the table.
We’d urge the Minister to make sure that any reassessment is based on a thoughtful look at the success of the solar scheme, and consideration of ways to build on that success.
Irish homeowners have shown themselves ready and willing to embrace the renewable energy transition. They – and the climate – deserve support for solar and the support the SEAI grants represent.
Why Choose Solar In Ireland?
Investing in a solar panel systems in Ireland can bring many benefits, including reduced energy bills, increased energy independence, and a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in installing a solar panel system in Ireland, it is also worth exploring the different grant options and green business loans available and seeking professional advice from one of our solar energy advisors.
Feel free to contact us for more information, we’re here to help.
