Ireland Crosses 100,000 Microgeneration Customers

Ireland’s electricity company ESB Networks pegs the country’s total grid-connected rooftop solar microgeneration capacity to have exceeded 400 MW with more than 100,000 customers generating their own green electricity.    

Around 20,000 new connections were delivered over the last 6 months alone. ESB says it is processing 750 applications/week reflecting the growing interest among denizens to lower their electricity bills with solar energy.   

“Hundreds of homes are going solar each week, generating power that they can use themselves and selling excess energy into the grid,” said Ireland’s Minister for Climate Eamon Ryan. “This rooftop revolution will continue to play a crucial part in creating an Ireland powered by renewable energy and through microgeneration, the power is with individuals.” 

Under its microgeneration scheme, the government supports the installation of solar PV equipment with grants of up to €2,400 in 2023. It is available to both domestic and non-domestic consumers. It expanded the latter category to consider systems beyond 6 kW in July 2023 (see Ireland Expanding Microgeneration PV Scheme).   

According to the Ireland Solar Energy Association (ISEA), Ireland’s cumulative installed solar PV capacity exceeded 1.18 GW by June 2024, comprising 505 MW installed in 2023. It also included 373 MW of microgeneration capacity (see Ireland’s Solar PV Market Grew By 505 MW In 2023).  

Ireland targets to achieve 8 GW of cumulative installed solar PV capacity by 2030 under its Climate Action Plan.