Solar panel sales have risen sharply in Ireland since the start of the Iran war as householders seek protection from volatile energy prices.
Solar Ireland — the industry body for the country’s solar sector — is reporting a surge in demand for installations as households grapple with rising energy costs, just a few years after the Ukraine war triggered a similar spike.
“We’ve seen a huge uplift in inquiries and interest — as much as 100 per cent uplift in online traffic,” Ronan Power, the Solar Ireland chief executive, said.
You’ve successfully signed up to the Ireland newsletter
Explore our newsletters
An error occurred. Please use the link below. Ireland newsletter
Explore our newsletters
The shift is no longer just in interest — he says households are now acting quickly to install solar.
“The numbers are showing us about a 27 per cent increase in people committing in under seven days since the Iran war began,” he said.
“That’s people making a commitment to have solar installed, which is a real yardstick that they are looking for a longer-term solution.”
Ireland is one of the most exposed countries in Europe to energy shocks due to its reliance on gas.
Data from European regulators shows Ireland has one of the highest shares of fossil fuels in electricity generation in the EU.
The latest fuel crisis comes just a few years after the Ukraine war triggered a similar spike in energy prices across Europe.
“We had the launch of the war in Ukraine, which is not that long ago, and power prices absolutely exploded,” Power said.
“This one has shown that we are susceptible to these type of macro events, and we really do feel them because of where we’re located geographically.”
The trend is now towards households becoming their own power generators and moving away from the vagaries of global fossil fuel prices.
“The sense is that people are starting to go, ‘OK, I’m now going to invest to protect myself against probably another one’.”
Ireland’s solar capacity has trebled since 2023, according to Solar Ireland.
“The total installed capacity is 177,000 homes so far, and we run at a rate of in and around 35,000 a year,” Power said.
He added that the current rise in sales of about 27 per cent could translate into a few thousand homes this year if the demand is sustained.
Power said solar power — which can be installed within weeks — could deliver immediate savings for householders by generating at least half of their own electricity.
“With a battery installed, a typical house could see a reduction of 50 to 65 per cent in their annual grid consumption.
“If your system was turned on at 11 in the morning, you would use less electricity that day.”
While there are many cost variables, he said a standard system for a semi-detached house would cost between €8,000 and €10,000.
“The grants are now capped at €1,800,” he said.
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment said the energy crisis caused by the conflict in the Middle East again highlighted the benefits and importance of home energy upgrades.
It added that a record €640 million had been allocated in the budget to deliver 73,000 home energy upgrades, as part of more than €1.6 billion in supports provided since 2019.
“In fact, a rooftop revolution is under way across Ireland — 155,000 homes have received grants to install rooftop solar, and free solar panels have been provided to 2,000 schools across Ireland,” the department said.
It added: “This reduces energy bills. Where excess energy is produced, it can be sold into the grid under microgeneration.”
At international level, Sonia Dunlop, chief executive of the Global Solar Council, a trade body, said the Iran war was a powerful reminder that countries dependent on fossil fuel imports were vulnerable.
“Solar and storage aren’t just a climate solution — they’re an insurance policy. The countries that invested early are now watching their energy bills stay stable while others scramble,” she said.
Amid a volatile energy market, Power said more frequent price shocks highlighted the need for longer-term supports to help those on the energy poverty line.
“If you look at the energy poverty line and the statistics around that, solar is a great example of something that could really help alleviate some of those pressures.
“If you look at the emergency energy package that was announced a few weeks ago, an allocation of that into residential solar grant support would be very effective.”
Power noted that people who might need solar the most to offset rising energy bills might not be able to afford the initial cost or even raise a loan.
“If your cost of energy is shrinking disposable household income, you may be uninclined to take on another bill. It would be a risk.”
He said a recent study by University College Cork found about one million homes in Ireland would be capable of having a solar installation.
“If you were to look at it that way, we’re only about 17 per cent of the way through to the rollout,” he said.
“The more we can do here in Ireland and generate here at home, the more resilient we become.”
Ireland has made some of the fastest progress in electrification in Europe and is on track to become an energy exporter as a wave of offshore wind projects come on stream in the coming decade.
Promoted Content
© Times Media Limited 2025.
Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF.
Enjoy unlimited access to all articles. Ends soon.
Enjoy unlimited digital access.
Already have an account? Log in
