Ireland has broadened the eligibility criteria for its Solar PV Scheme for Medically Vulnerable Customers to include all homeowners who are registered with their energy supplier as having a dependence on electrically powered medical equipment, including dialysis machines and respirators. Prior to this, the scheme was only for those on the ESB Networks' Priority Services Register, while now it is open to customers of all energy suppliers.
The package includes the installation of a 2 kW solar PV system, with a string inverter, associated ancillary products such as a battery, and five 400 W solar panels.
The scheme was initially launched as a pilot in 2022, and around 470 homes have benefited to date.
Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien said he expects uptake to grow following the extension of the eligibility criteria to include all homeowners registered under the life support category of the Priority Services Register, regardless of which energy supplier they are using. They will automatically qualify for the scheme.
“Delivering resilience in our energy systems is a top priority for me, and for the government. First and foremost we have to ensure that the most vulnerable in society are protected,” O’Brien said. In the event of a power outage, vulnerable customers are supposed to be prioritized so they can continue to have access to their treatment machines, which have a high energy demand.
Electricity suppliers will begin contacting anyone who meets the criteria for the scheme in the coming weeks and months. The energy provider will send a letter of interest and they will then assign a solar PV provider to visit the householder and assess their property’s suitability for a solar system. Despite the extension, the scheme is only available to houses built and occupied on or before 31 December 2020.
Ireland recently allocated more than €1 billion to renewable energy in its 2026 national budget, a significant portion of which will go towards solar PV grants for home and business owners and electricity grid upgrades.
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