Ireland has surpassed 3 GW of installed solar capacity, driven by rapid growth in utility-scale and rooftop solar (Irish government press release, 27/08/2026). The milestone comes just over a decade after the country had only 2 MW of solar capacity. The announcement follows a new record for solar generation on Ireland's grid, with utility-scale output exceeding 1.3 GW earlier this week and supplying more than one-third of national electricity generation at the time. According to EirGrid, solar generation first exceeded 1 GW in April 2026, enough to supply around 500,000 customers.
Solar deployment has also accelerated in the residential sector, with more than 200,000 homes installing solar panels and over 120,000 households receiving Solar PV grants. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland received more than 31,000 solar PV applications in the first seven months of 2026, up 76% from 2025.
The country continues to target 8 GW of solar capacity by 2030, supported by the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS).
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