SEAI offers a grant toward the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on existing homes, helping homeowners generate their own electricity and, in many cases, sell surplus power back to the grid. This page is general information, not an official grant offer or a quote.
How the grant is generally structured
The solar PV grant is typically tiered by system size (measured in kilowatt-peak, kWp), with the total grant amount tapering off as system size increases up to a maximum SEAI will fund — current tier amounts and the maximum eligible system size are set by SEAI and can change, so treat any specific figure as something to verify rather than a guaranteed number.
Registered installers and the application process
As with other SEAI grants, solar PV work generally must be carried out by an SEAI-registered solar PV installer, and the grant application is normally submitted and approved before installation begins. Homeowners should also check whether planning permission or planning exemption conditions apply to their specific property before proceeding, since rules can vary by location and property type.
Selling surplus electricity back to the grid
Under the Clean Export Guarantee scheme, homeowners with solar PV can generally get paid for surplus electricity exported back to the grid, though the exact rate is set by each individual electricity supplier rather than a single fixed government rate — comparing supplier export rates is worth doing separately from the grant application itself.
Key takeaways
Get quotes from more than one SEAI-registered installer before committing, confirm current grant tiers and the maximum eligible system size directly on seai.ie, and compare electricity suppliers' export rates separately when deciding who to sign up with for exporting surplus power.