Summary: Ireland surpasses 3 GW of installed solar capacity and sets a new generation record

Ireland's solar capacity passed 3 GW for the first time, Minister Darragh O'Brien announced, spanning rooftop and utility-scale installations. This follows a separate record of 1.3 GW in utility-scale solar generation on the grid, with solar supplying over a third of dispatchable generation at points on Monday. Capacity has grown from just 2 MW a decade ago to over 3,000 MW today; the first grid-scale solar farm connected in April 2022.

More than 200,000 homes have installed solar panels, and over 120,000 households have received Solar PV grants. SEAI received over 31,000 Solar PV applications from January to July 2026, a 76% increase year-on-year. Free panels have also been installed at 2,000 schools, and households can sell surplus power back to the grid via microgeneration.

EirGrid CEO Cathal Marley noted solar generation passed 1 GW for the first time in April before reaching the new 1.3 GW peak; 1 GW is estimated to power around 500,000 customers. EirGrid is pursuing a major grid-works programme to accommodate more renewables, while ESB Networks is investing under Price Review 6 to strengthen the network. Support schemes include RESS, SRESS and MSS, and the Government has committed to funding the Solar PV grant until 2030.

Overall, Ireland's renewable generation capacity now exceeds 8 GW, having added roughly 5 GW over the past decade — including a doubling of wind capacity alongside the solar sector's growth from a near-zero base.