Ireland’s national solar capacity surpassed 2 GW for the first time, Solar Ireland revealed this week. The country hit the 2 GW milestone just months after Solar Ireland’s “Scale of Solar 2025” report, released in June, which showed that Ireland’s total installed solar capacity as of May 31, 2025, was 1.76 GW.
That report claimed utility-scale solar was the main driver of growth, but small-scale solar installations have also played their part. Solar Ireland’s data said more than 155,000 homes, business, and communities are generating solar.
“The contribution of households installing rooftop solar and major renewable developers delivering large-scale projects has been instrumental in reaching this milestone,” said John O’Connor, head of program delivery at Irish distribution system operator (DSO) ESB Networks.
“The government’s commitment to renewable energy has been critical, providing policy certainty and financial support,” O’Connor added, highlighting the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS auctions) and network investment programs such as the PR5 and PR6.
Solar Ireland CEO Ronan Power said the rapid installation rate puts Ireland among Europe’s fastest expanding markets. The first utility-scale farm in the country was energized in April 2022, and since then national capacity has grown to 2.1 GW.
“Crossing the 2 GW mark is far more than a milestone; it’s evidence of a sector delivering real change at real scale. Ireland’s energy transition is no longer a future ambition, it’s happening now, powered by thousands of people and projects across the country. In just three years, we’ve more than doubled our solar capacity and built a foundation that supports jobs, communities, and energy security – and the momentum is only growing,” he said.
Ireland’s 2030 solar target is 8 GW, with Power emphasizing the need for collaboration between industry, government and grid operators to keep installation and generation momentum going.
While Ireland may not have a fraction of the 20 GW of installed solar capacity the UK reached earlier this month, it continues to grow, and during the summer generation peak, solar supplied more than one-fifth of national electricity demand. Switzerland, which has 8 GW of installed solar capacity, forecasts PV additions of 1.5 GW through 2026 and 2027, reaching 1.8 GW of additional capacity by 2030.
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