Putting six solar panels on the roof of a Dublin home "would save €380 on annual electricity bills with the system paying back for itself in 7 years" according to a new study.
The research by scientists at University College Cork examined every rooftop in Ireland along with weather data for the first time. They found that over a million houses have enough space for 10 solar panels and if that potential was realised electricity bills could fall by €450 a year, reducing the cost of living while providing a quarter of all residential electricity needed.
It would also cut 135,000 tonnes of carbon and meet 8% of the country’s renewable targets. The MaREI, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine at University College Cork, study was published as the government’s new Microgeneration Support Scheme began yesterday.
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Proposed by Minister Eamon Ryan, MSS aims to empower people, farmers, communities and businesses to produce their own green energy and be paid for any extra fed to the grid.
Paul Deane, Senior Research Fellow in clean energy futures at UCC’s MaREI Centre, said: “By analysing every rooftop in Ireland for the first time we can reveal the scale of the potential. Putting ten solar panels (3.4KW) on every suitable home in Ireland can reduce 135,000 tonnes of C02 emissions and help Ireland meet 8% of its Renewable Electricity Target.
“Six solar panels on every suitable home would generate enough electricity to power 22% of homes and reduce emissions by 95,000 tonnes. We don’t associate Ireland as a sunny country but there is sufficient sunlight shining on our Irish roofs to make a meaningful impact on electricity bills," he added.
The research also shows that if every suitable home was to maximise its solar potential, it could save some €500 in electricity bills and deliver 19% of our renewable electricity target while producing 36% of residential demand. Around 24,000 homes across the country already have solar panels but over a million more have the potential.
Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA) CEO Conall Bolger said: “With energy prices continuing to rise people can take greater control of their costs by investing in rooftop solar. Six solar panels on a suitable home in Dublin, for example, would save €380 on annual electricity bills with the system paying back for itself in 7 years.
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“A further exciting initiative commencing today [Friday] will see even greater benefits with homes compensated for unused solar energy that goes onto the national grid. Previously, any unused energy went to waste, now it will travel the network, powering someone else’s home with the green energy your home generated.
”Homeowners can also benefit from a substantial (up to €2,400) grant from SEAI for installing solar PV,” he added.
“These measures in combination are a great incentive for people to place solar panels on their roof and ensure they are included in Ireland’s decarbonisation journey.”
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But he also warned solar panels may still be out of reach for those in fuel poverty adding: “We believe the Government should introduce a means test and fully fund the installation of rooftop solar panels for people in fuel poverty.
“This would allow them to generate their own clean green power for decades to come and offer protection from volatile energy costs.”
SSE and Pinergy have said they will pay homeowners 14 and 13.5 cents respectively, for every kilowatt hour of surplus electricity they add to the grid.
These payments are to be backdated to February 19, when the legislation came into force. It is hoped some 250,000 Irish homes will have solar panels on their rooftops by 2030.
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