SEAI home energy grants
How to use SEAI home energy grants when planning solar
SEAI's home grants section is not only for solar. It routes Irish homeowners through individual upgrades, complete home upgrades, free upgrades for eligible households and support schemes.
The practical order
- Decide the upgrade route. Solar PV can be handled as an individual grant. Bigger retrofits may fit the One Stop Shop or complete home upgrade route.
- Check the home details. SEAI grant eligibility depends on the measure, home age, MPRN and previous grant history.
- Apply before work starts. For Solar PV, the grant offer must be in place before installation work begins.
- Use the right registered contractor. Solar PV grant work should use an SEAI registered solar PV company.
- Keep paperwork visible in the quote. Your quote should say who handles ESB Networks notification, BER, Declaration of Works and grant documents.
Where solar fits
SEAI lists Solar PV as an electricity-generating upgrade and solar water heating as a separate hot-water technology. They are different grant routes and should not be treated as interchangeable in quotes.
| Upgrade | What it does | SolarGuide check |
|---|---|---|
| Solar PV | Generates electricity for the home, with excess potentially exported to the grid. | Check kWp, panel/inverter models, grant value, NC6 and export assumptions. |
| Solar water heating | Uses solar thermal collectors to heat domestic hot water. | Check cylinder compatibility, household hot-water demand and whether PV would be more useful. |
| Insulation and heat pump measures | Reduce heat demand or move heating to a low-carbon system. | Consider before or alongside solar if the home's fabric/heating demand is the bigger issue. |