Ireland Solar Capacity Soars Past 2.7 GW and Still Climbing

Ireland's solar energy revolution is moving from ambitious talk to impressive action, with more than 190,000 homes and businesses now generating their own clean power.

The country reached 2.7 gigawatts of connected solar capacity by May 2026, according to the latest Scale of Solar report launched at the Solar Ireland conference in Dublin. That's enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes, and the numbers keep climbing.

More than half of that capacity comes from large utility-scale solar farms, but everyday people are driving much of this success story. Residential and commercial rooftop installations have grown to exceed 800 megawatts, thanks partly to government grants worth up to €1,800 per installation. Climate Minister Darragh O'Brien confirmed these grants will continue for the lifetime of the current government.

The transformation is visible in the numbers. Over the past 12 months through May, Irish solar panels generated more than 1.1 terawatt hours of electricity. That's the highest annual solar output the country has ever recorded.

Ronan Power, CEO of Solar Ireland, says the market is now "increasingly defined by delivery" rather than just ambition. Recent summer months brought record generation peaks as solar becomes a reliable part of Ireland's everyday energy mix.

The growth isn't stopping anytime soon. Between October 2024 and September 2025, transmission operator Eirgrid connected 394 megawatts of new renewable projects. Solar led the way with 180 megawatts, outpacing both wind and storage additions.

The Ripple Effect

Ireland's solar success is creating economic benefits that extend far beyond clean energy. Economic analysis suggests continued growth in the sector could contribute more than €2.3 billion in gross value added to the Irish economy by 2030, creating jobs and investment opportunities across the country.

The government is backing this momentum with an €18.9 billion investment package in the electricity system. The plan includes new transmission lines, circuit upgrades, 65 new substations, and support for local renewable projects.

Eirgrid, the national transmission system operator, has set ambitious targets that show confidence in this clean energy transition. The company aims for 95% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2035. They're also planning to build at least 500 megawatts of long duration energy storage to handle the increasing solar supply.

The solar boom is bringing new challenges that signal maturity rather than problems. Ireland is starting to see the "duck curve" pattern common in established solar markets like Germany and Spain, where evening demand spikes as generation drops. The solution involves investing in battery storage and grid flexibility, areas where Ireland is already making progress.

As batteries begin participating in electricity markets and the state opens doors for full battery participation, Ireland is building the infrastructure needed to maximize every ray of sunshine captured by those 190,000 solar installations.