Solar Ireland, the organization representing the Irish solar sector, told pv magazine that as of December 2025 Ireland’s cumulative installed capacity reached 2,345 MW across all PV segments.
This means that in 2025 the country added around 1,005 MW of new PV systems, which compares to around 452 MW in 2024 and 543 in 2023.
“2025 was a defining year for solar in Ireland,” said Solar Ireland CEO Ronan Power.
Of the cumulative solar capacity, 1,322 MW comes from utility-scale solar plants and 727 MW from distributed microgeneration. Total mini-generation and small-scale commercial are also growing, at 74 MW and 53 MW respectively. Non-exporting generation reached 169 MW at the end of last year.
In addition to strong utility-scale growth, the rooftop residential market is very fast-growing. At the end of 2025, the government-affiliated Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) processed its 100,000 paid application under the Domestic Solar PV Scheme.
“What is particularly encouraging is the balance between utility-scale delivery and the continued expansion of rooftop solar across homes, farms, and businesses,” said Power. “Solar remains the most accessible and fastest-to-deploy clean energy technology available in Ireland today, and when policy signals are clear, uptake follows.”
Power said the government’s decision to maintain rooftop grant supports, as well as to retain a 0% VAT rate on residential solar installations and commit to increased grid investment has provided essential certainty to the market. “Stable grants support households, VAT relief protects affordability, and grid investment underpins long-term delivery,” he added.
The Solar Ireland CEO expects continued positive development over the next year, adding that “the outlook for the sector is strong.” Currently, there is 1.7 GW of solar in the construction pipeline.
Power expects continued delivery of projects under Ireland’s renewable energy auction scheme (RESS) and deeper integration of battery storage, as well as sustained growth across commercial and farm-based installations.
“Continued clarity around grid capacity, hybridization, and private wire frameworks will help maintain this trajectory. Ireland is demonstrating that with the right policy foundations, solar can scale rapidly. The priority now is sustained delivery, deeper system integration, and ensuring we remain firmly on track to achieve the 8 GW nationwide solar PV target by 2030,” Power concluded.
Commenting on Ireland’s extremely high energy prices, he welcomed recent measures introduced by the government to provide increased support for lower-income and vulnerable households under the 2026 National Residential Retrofit Plan.
“Solar is the most accessible and fastest-to-deploy clean energy technology available to households today. It can be installed in a matter of weeks, immediately reducing daytime electricity costs and helping families take control of their energy bills. Grant certainty is critical, particularly for lower-income households, as upfront cost remains the main barrier to participation. If solar is properly integrated alongside insulation and heat pumps, retrofit can deliver not just emissions reductions, but lasting affordability and energy security for families across Ireland,” Power said.
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