Sweeping law forcing major building change to all new Irish homes would cost €4.5k but cut bills by €1k EVERY year
BEFORE sweeping into power in the UK, the Labour party promised a 'rooftop revolution' that would see millions more properties fitted with solar panels.
All new homes in
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Brian Kelly says it's time to make solar panels mandatory on all new-build homes
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The move would slash electricity bills for households
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
However, the measure will save English households around €1,000 per year on their energy bills.
The
This would require Ireland to implement a new law to meet these requirements.
Writing in
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IT'S high time that new homes in Ireland be required to have solar panels fitted on their rooftops, following similar policies in England and
The move would slash electricity bills for households and also reduce our
In England, property developers will be legally required to install solar panels on the roofs of new homes by 2027 under
It is estimated that the rooftop installations could save new homeowners in England around £1,000 per year on their
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Beginning in 2020, California mandated that most new homes, apartments and commercial buildings have PV panels installed.
And in Ireland, surveys have shown that the vast majority of people think we should follow suit.
Scots charity uses power of the sun to save lives
Some 81 per cent of people voiced their support for mandatory solar panels on
Among the majority of respondents who were in favour of the proposal, many highlighted the many environmental and financial benefits of solar energy.
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They're right — all new homes in Ireland will need to have rooftop panels fitted by 2029 under EU rules anyway, and it makes sense for the
SUCCESSFUL GRANTS
Existing grants from the SEAI have been hugely successful in encouraging people to invest in solar – with close to 30,000 homes being kitted out with panels in 2024.
The current grant for solar is €1,800, and the average cost of a typical solar system of 10 panels costs around €6,600 after the grant.
These
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One deterrent for new homeowners to install solar is that after paying an extortionate amount for a new home, they are unable to access these grants. This is because SEAI grants are only offered to homes that were built before 2021.
GOOD REASON
On the surface, there is a good reason for this — the government is prioritising upgrading the energy efficiency of older homes instead of newly built, A-rated homes.
But this leaves a growing body of homes in Ireland which are not eligible for the SEAI grant if people want to make their homes even more energy efficient.
While the bottom line is the most important factor for those considering getting panels installed, grants also play an important psychological role, giving many homeowners the nudge and incentive they need to make the leap and request a quote.
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Whether the grants are maintained at their current level or cut by €300 each year, Ireland must begin to make solar panels mandatory.
SOLAR ENERGY TARGETS
The EU's Solar Energy Strategy has legally binding targets for the integration of solar panels into new buildings in member states starting from 2026.
New public and commercial buildings with a 'useful floor space' of 250m² or more will have to install solar panels from next year, and existing buildings must do the same by 2027. In 2029, new homes will be required by EU law to have rooftop solar panels.
And although there might be an initial impact on prices from an increase in building costs, this measure will only benefit households, especially as electricity becomes the main source of heating, replacing gas and oil boilers.
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Older homes which are not suitable for a heat pump without massive renovations may find it easier to replace an old gas or oil boiler with an electric boiler, which is much less efficient than a heat pump and uses considerably more energy.
The growing adoption of
With electricity becoming dominant, mandating new-builds to have a solar system on their rooftops is an obvious and sensible step – one that we should make without delay.
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