BREAKING SOLAR BARRIERS FOR A SOLAR TRANSFORMATION
Updated May 30th, 2025
By Morgan Pierce
March was a “landmark month” for solar power in Ireland, and the glorious weeks of sunshine we’ve experienced in April and May are likely to put that month’s record in the shade.
Even so, solar accounted for only 2.8% of the country’s total electricity generation during March. That figure includes a new all-time peak of more than 750 MW of grid-scale solar on March 25.
The figure does not include rooftop solar, which in recent years has already added a further 400MW to Ireland’s energy generating capacity.
“With utility-scale generation regularly topping 700 MW, solar has become the third largest source of electricity in key months. That’s a transformational shift in just three years. And that’s before you consider the impact of onsite solar in reducing electricity demand,” said Conall Bolger of the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA). “As more capacity connects and homes and businesses go solar, we expect this to be the norm rather than the exception.”
“It’s a clear signal that solar is ready to do much more,” Bolger added, “if we remove the remaining solar barriers.”
Solar has become Ireland’s fastest growing renewable power source. Conall Bolger is right, however, barriers remain. That is especially the case with regard to utility-scale solar generation – i.e. solar farms.
News reports last week, for instance, headlined “huge concerns” over a proposed solar farm in Wicklow. To break down those solar barriers will require a more creative, innovative and empathetic approach than that taken by our colleagues in the wind energy business – who have lost years to fights with the planning authorities, community groups and local homeowners.
We shouldn’t simply try to roll over community concerns that largescale solar farms, are not “farms” at all. Campaign groups and homeowners suggest that in some cases developers do not adequately address issues of fire safety, nor the possible health implications of the “glint and glare” emanating from acres of solar panels. They argue, not unreasonably, that there must always be a cost-benefit approach taken – one that weighs the important goal of transitioning away from greenhouse gas producing fossil fuels, against the costs the transition may take on pristine rural landscapes and ecosystems.
As an industry, we can ensure that we hold ourselves to the highest standards, and that we engage constructively and address the real and perceived solar barriers with homeowners – who in many cases are our neighbours. Innovative development – like agrivoltaics – can play an important part in creating the right mindset. Placing solar panels above or between crops, enables farmers to harvest two crops simultaneously – food and solar energy. The mix maximizes efficient land use, can enhance crop yields, and diversifies farm income.
In Switzerland, meanwhile, a forward looking start up is experimenting with installing removable solar panels in the unused space between the country’s railway tracks. That’s miles and miles of available space amid pre-existing infrastructure. Similar developments are underway in France, Germany, Italy and Japan. It should be food for thought for those hoping to install significant utility-level solar here.
Rooftop Has Broken Solar Barriers
It’s also the kind of innovative thinking that has already broken down the barriers that long existed to rooftop solar. Dial the clock back 20 years, even ten, and hardly a rooftop in Ireland had solar. Technological advances, lower prices, and the urgency of the climate crisis played key roles in changing that.
So too, however, did creative thinking. The government gave consumers a significant nudge by adopting a 0% VAT rate on solar. Eliminating the requirement for planning permission knocked over another obstacle. A generous SEAI grant scheme – still in place and currently worth €1,800 toward the cost of installing solar – gave solar a whopping boost.
At SolarSmart, we’ve taken our own steps to break down barriers to Ireland’s transition to green, affordable solar. Regular readers of this blog will know about our partnership with SolarStructures – which gives us the flexibility to meet our customers’ requirements for solar arrays in almost any setting.
And to make the switch to solar as smooth and painless as possible, SolarSmart takes on the grant application process ourselves. We’re so sure of our team’s ability to fit our customers’ homes with the perfect system to meet their needs, that we even take on the wait for the application to be accepted and processed. That means lower upfront costs to the customer.
Lowering solar costs. Lowering solar barriers, That’s the way to find our way to energy independence while creating a brighter sustainable economic future.
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.
