Carlow Households Play Key Role in Ireland's Record-Breaking Summer for Solar Energy

Green Party TD for Carlow Kilkenny and Minister for Nature, Heritage, and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan has praised the recent record-breaking months for solar energy in June and July. Data from Green Collective, an open-source data collector, indicates that solar energy contributed a record 3.5% of Ireland's energy during this period, with significant benefits observed for communities and households in Carlow as part of this 'solar revolution.'

Commenting on the news today, Minister Noonan said:

“Over the last four years in government, the Green Party has been driving the growth in clean, renewable energy. Last year we removed the VAT from solar panels, and the need for planning permission has also been removed for the vast majority of homeowners who wish to go solar. That means it’s never been cheaper or easier for households to join the solar revolution.

“The national growth in solar is reflected in the figures for Carlow. In the last four years over 700 households in Carlow have availed of SEAI grants to install solar PV panels and an incredible 70% of those were in the last year alone. That compares to just 31 homes in Carlow installing solar from 2015 to 2019. Ireland’s solar revolution is real, and solar energy is now creating thousands of jobs, securing Ireland’s energy supply, and reducing both emissions and household energy bills.”

So far in 2024, over 100,000 homes across Ireland have installed solar panels. The Green Party aims to enable communities and households to install 700,000 rooftop solar PV systems on homes and 55,000 commercial premises by 2030, which will meet 5% of the national electricity needs. Measures championed by the Green Party, including grant supports and the removal of VAT on solar panels, have lowered the average cost of supply and installation for consumers from €9,000 to €5,600.

“It’s clear solar is becoming increasingly attractive to people, and with the payback period now as low as six years, there are huge savings to be had,” Minister Noonan continues. “Carlow householders can reduce their energy bills, protect themselves from global energy price spikes, and sell their excess electricity back to the grid. Now is definitely the time to take advantage of the opportunity that’s there to use clean energy to lower bills and carbon emissions.”