Last updated: August 2026
What would solar panels actually cost you - and save you - on your roof, your usage and your supplier's rates? The calculator below answers that in about thirty seconds: pick a system size, roof orientation and whether you want a battery, and it estimates your installed cost after the €1,800 SEAI grant, your annual saving and your payback period, using real Irish generation figures and current tariffs. Under it, you'll find the assumptions it uses (no black boxes here) and the cost tables to sanity-check any quote you receive.
Irish Solar Panel Savings Calculator 2026
Estimate your system cost, SEAI grant, annual savings and payback period. All figures use 2026 SEAI rates and current supplier export tariffs.
| Annual electricity generated | 3,890 kWh |
| Self-consumed by your home | 35% (1,361 kWh) |
| Exported to grid | 2,529 kWh |
| Bill savings (self-consumed) | €449 |
| Export income (gross) | €493 |
| Tax-free portion (€600 disregard) | €600 |
| 25-year total savings (after net cost) | €16,207 |
💶 What Solar Panels Cost in Ireland: The Quick Tables
Typical installed prices before the grant (August 2026):
🌿 6 panels (2.6 kWp): €5,500-€7,000 → roughly €2,300 kWh/yr of generation
🌿 10 panels (4.4 kWp): €7,300-€9,300 → ~3,900 kWh/yr - the most popular size
🌿 14 panels (6.2 kWp): €9,500-€12,000 → ~5,500 kWh/yr
🌿 Add a battery: €2,000-€4,500 depending on size - no grant applies to the battery itself
🌿 Then subtract the grant: up to €1,800 for grant-eligible homes (pre-2021, first solar install)
Full cost detail is in our solar panels guide; how many panels your usage justifies is covered in our sizing guide.
🧮 What the Calculator Assumes (No Black Boxes)
🌿 Irish yield: ~884 kWh per kWp per year for south-facing roofs, ~85% of that for east/west - real Met Éireann-consistent figures, not sunny-brochure ones.
🌿 Self-use: around 30% of generation used directly without a battery, ~60% with one - the single biggest driver of payback.
🌿 Tariffs: day-rate electricity ~33c/kWh saved on self-used units; exported surplus earns the Clean Export Guarantee (15-25c, supplier-dependent).
🌿 The grant: €1,800 deducted where eligible.
Change any of these realities (a dearer tariff, a bigger battery, heavy daytime usage) and your result moves - which is exactly what the calculator is for.
💡 Reading Your Result
🌿 Payback under 7 years: a strong install - typical for well-oriented roofs with decent daytime usage.
🌿 7-10 years: normal for most Irish homes - against 25+ year panel lifespans, still comfortably worthwhile. Our worth-it verdict unpacks the judgement.
🌿 Over 10 years: usually a shaded or north-facing roof, low usage, or an oversized quote - get more quotes and check our installer guide before proceeding.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
🌿 Comparing your result to a salesman's projection: if a quote's savings estimate beats this calculator's by miles, ask which assumption they inflated - it is usually self-use or export price.
🌿 Ignoring orientation: the same panels produce ~15% less on east/west roofs - make sure any quote's projection matches your actual roof.
🌿 Forgetting the battery has no grant: €1,800 applies to panels, not storage - budget the battery separately and check our battery guide for whether it earns its keep.
🌿 Treating the estimate as a quote: roofs, scaffolding and fuse boards vary - use the number to benchmark real quotes, not replace them.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
🔹 How much do solar panels cost in Ireland?
Typically €5,500-€12,000 installed before the €1,800 grant, depending on system size - €7,300-€9,300 for the standard 10-panel setup most three-bed homes choose.
🔹 How accurate is this calculator?
It uses average Irish generation yields, current typical tariffs and standard self-use rates - good enough to benchmark quotes within €500 or so, but no calculator sees your shading or fuse board. Treat it as a sanity-check, not a survey.
🔹 How much can solar panels save per year?
A 10-panel system typically offsets €800-€1,200 a year through avoided imports and export payments, depending on tariff and self-use - roughly half the average Irish electricity bill.
🔹 Do I qualify for the €1,800 grant?
Homes built and occupied before 2021 with no previous solar grant qualify; the installer must be SEAI-registered. The grant maxes out at 4 kWp of system size.
🔹 What is the Clean Export Guarantee?
The payment (15-25c/kWh, varying by supplier) for surplus units you export to the grid. You need a smart meter to be paid on measured exports - and it is worth comparing suppliers on their export rate as well as their import rate.
📚 Related Guides
🌿 Solar Panels
🌿 Are Solar Panels Worth It?
🌿 How Many Panels Do I Need?
🌿 Best Solar Installers
🌿 Home Battery Storage
🌿 Solar Water Heating
🌿 Wind Energy
🌿 Renewable Energy
👉 All guides and calculators
Climate Jargon Buster is an independent resource providing plain-English information on climate, energy and sustainability topics for an Irish audience. Calculator outputs and costs shown are indicative estimates based on average Irish conditions and current typical tariffs - actual quotes, generation and savings vary by home; grant amounts are correct as of August 2026 and are set by the SEAI. For official grant terms and to find a registered contractor, visit seai.ie. This site is not affiliated with SEAI - always check the official website for current figures.