Ireland’s solar transition: reflecting on 2025 and looking ahead to 2026

Ireland’s solar story is now about scale and substance.

In 2025, Ireland passed 2 GW of installed solar capacity nationwide. Crucially, 1 GW of this now comes from rooftops, installed across more than 170,000 homes, farms, sports clubs and businesses. Solar is no longer an emerging technology. It is a core part of Ireland’s energy system, delivering clean power at scale and close to demand.

What we achieved together in 2025

Delivery accelerated across every segment of the market. RESS 5 awarded 860 MW of new solar projects, reinforcing solar’s role as Ireland’s fastest-deployable renewable technology. Solar generation reached new highs during the year, and Ireland’s transition beyond coal highlighted the growing system value of solar in supporting security of supply and resilience.

2025 also brought important policy signals. Budget 2026 committed significant investment to energy infrastructure and confirmed that the SEAI rooftop solar grant will remain at €1,800 into 2026, sustaining momentum for households and installers.

Building the foundations for the next phase

Progress on deployment was matched by progress on infrastructure and system foundations. The publication of CRU’s Price Review 6 (PR6) sets out a long-term investment framework for Ireland’s electricity networks, enabling the upgrades required to support electrification and renewable generation at scale. The focus now is on pace and delivery.

Alongside this, Solar Ireland continued to advocate for a clear and workable framework for private wires and local green partnerships. As a complement to the public grid, these models can support faster electrification, reduce pressure on constrained connections, and make better use of locally generated solar. A phased approach, starting with auto-production and expanding to export where appropriate, will be key.

Beyond deployment and policy, Solar Ireland also strengthened its wider role this year. We deepened collaboration with the Solar Stewardship Initiative, reinforcing commitments to responsible and transparent supply chains. We were proud to partner with RePower Ukraine, supporting solar-powered resilience for communities affected by conflict. We also came together as a sector to celebrate excellence at the inaugural Irish Renewable Energy Awards, and were honoured to be named Association of the Year 2025.

What still needs to move faster in 2026

While progress has been significant, key bottlenecks remain.

• Grid delivery and PR6 implementation must translate into faster connections and predictable timelines.
• Planning consistency is needed to ensure evidence-based outcomes across counties.
• Private wires and local green partnerships require a pragmatic, phased framework to unlock industrial decarbonisation and reduce grid pressure.
• Storage and hybrid projects need enabling rules to reduce curtailment and improve system value.

And as volumes grow, continued focus on skills and responsible supply chains will be essential to maintaining quality and public trust.

Our focus for 2026

In 2026, Solar Ireland will focus on delivery, coordination and impact. Turning infrastructure commitments into on-the-ground progress will be critical. We will continue to support homes and communities, building on the 1 GW rooftop milestone with clear guidance and accessible data. For our members, we will strengthen working groups, policy briefings and opportunities to shape solutions together. And we will continue to prioritise public confidence, tackling misinformation through facts, lived experience and open engagement.

For members, 2026 will bring more. More benefits, more influence, and more ways to grow with Ireland’s solar industry. Solar Ireland’s role is to ensure member expertise translates into real value and real impact as the sector continues to scale.

Ireland’s solar progress in 2025 reflects the collective effort of developers, installers, manufacturers, advisors, communities and public partners. We look forward to working together in 2026 as Ireland’s solar story moves from milestones to momentum.

Wishing you and your families a peaceful Christmas and a healthy and successful New Year.

Ronan Power, CEO, and the Solar Ireland Team