Latest news with #SEAI
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Home Q&A: What's the best way to use farm buildings for their solar energy potential?
Question What are the best ways to use solar-photovoltaic panels on farm buildings or sheds? Answer Whether you have a smallholding or a large dairy enterprise, farm buildings offer huge potential for positioning solar-PV systems. The Government has financial supports and tax incentives in place to help farmers to make use of this renewable energy source. Solar-PV can provide free kWs of power to contribute to the running of milk bulk-tanks, lighting and more, and it can also gift vital credits against electricity bills by returning surplus wattage to the grid (micro-generation). The Tams 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) opened for business in January 2023 and is set to run until 2028. The Government advises that the scheme 'Provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holding. The solar scheme is grant-aided at the enhanced rate of 60% (net cost). Most rooftop installations on agricultural buildings are exempt from planning permission, except near airports where restrictions apply. Ground-mounted systems also enjoy exemptions, provided they stay within specified size limits.' This aid amounts to twice the percentage help ever offered to domestic installers, and unlike domestic SEAI solar-PV grant aid, it also covers batteries and water heating. Farm-generated solar power is fully tax-deductible at 100% in the year of installation, and upgrades to a farm's grid connection are made by ESB Networks at no charge. It's estimated that most installations can pay for themselves within three years. For more information on Tams 3, go to
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
How to turn your living space into a sustainable super home
Here are just some things to think about this summer as you prepare to turn your house and even your garden into a renewable power plant in 2025. Sunset on grant It is expected that on January 1, 2028, the SEAI-managed grant aid towards the purchase and installation of a PV system will be withdrawn. It has been steadily reduced in €300 increments, amounting to €1,800 until December 31, 2025. If you don't get your approval for your solar-PV grant settled by that date, going forward into next year, the maximum grant figure will be €1,500. If you are likely to be making a deal closer to Christmas, some suppliers are offering up to a €300 reduction to sop up that grant money loss on the margins of next year and next. It's vital to allow time for this or any grant-aided retrofit project. Ensure you have all necessary paperwork filled out to prevent a delay to the grant being awarded in principle, and the lead-in time for installation. The grant can be a retroactive payment to your bank account, or, as the SEAI states: 'Registered contractors can offer the homeowner the cost of works net of the grant amount. To do this, the contractor can ask the homeowner to nominate the contractor's preferred bank account with bank details on the SEAI request for payment form.' The median cost for solar-PV, according to the SEAI, is currently €6145 to €9850 (before grant aid), depending on the size of the array and the inclusion of a battery. The grant, until December 31, is capped at €1,800 and has a median award of €1400 to €1800. There's a fixed grant for your obligatory BER on completion of €50, Going to ground There has been a noticeable uptick in the number of advertisements by PV suppliers promoting ground arrays using frames or poles as an alternative to mounting an array on the roof. While this is a great option for a larger, un-shaded family back garden, it can only be determined by a physical site visit by your potential installers (get at least two quotes from firms on the SEAI register). You will need around 20 square metres — 30 square metres of available space that does not compromise available recreational room in the garden (generally this cannot be less than 25 square metres after works). Ground-mounted arrays are ideal if you have a good site, and enough outdoor space left after installation. File picture While not exactly popping with aesthetic charm, ground arrays do offer the chance for a superior orientation and pitch to the sun. They can really optimise gain rather than tailoring an array to the existing aspect and tilt of a roof. For a premium spend, dynamic tracking of the sun is even possible with single-axis or dual-axis panels. Cost-wise, expect to pay more for some additional builder's costs (for a concrete pad) and more extensive wiring to reach your inverter/batteries and the house. Maximise microgeneration The reward you get from selling your surplus kWs back to the grid through the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) depends on the weather, your usage, and obviously the size of your array. MMS payments are a really useful addition for someone with or without a battery who's out all day working. With little or no domestic usage from 8am to 6pm, the array is harvesting light, actively reducing your electricity bill. There are a few interactive things you can do to ensure you get the maximum benefit from this useful credit. If you have a PHEV or a BEV car, don't charge it off the roof; charge it at night on a good EV tariff (they hover in and around 8c/kWh). Otherwise, you're potentially wasting MSS credits back to your bill of 19c/kWh-21c/kWh. Secondly, watch what is drawing power once any battery in the house is charged. For example, don't let a solar water-diverter heat your tank all day long. Set what is termed an export margin, and let that power return to the grid on MSS instead. Going forward, I'm afraid the MSS payments offered for domestic c/kWh are expected to fall as farmers and commercial installers receive more government supports. Battery for winter Anyone with solar-PV for more than 12 months will have experienced the highly dramatic fall-off in solar-PV gain starting in early October. The level of collapse depends on how good the positioning of your array is, and some householders will still chip 30% off their bill during the short days and low arc of the winter sun. Overall, October to February? That first winter can feel like a betrayal. If you have a battery, you could try load-shifting. First, ensure you have an overnight Smart deal using your Smart Meter or an existing Day/Night meter. Use these light-rich summer weeks to fully understand your solar-PV array, its performance, your usage and hacks that can make your winter experience less painful. Picture: Tesla Powerwall Basically, we charge the domestic battery during these super-cheap hours and deploy this battery power during the course of the day (discharging it). Refer to the instructions with your inverter to set this up to save money and lower your carbon footprint. Batteries are expensive and can double the cost of an array and installation. Ensure they make economic sense for your situation. Keep it clean The rain alone will help to keep your solar panels clean and receptive to every glimpse of sunshine. That said, it's a good idea to wash them off at least once or even twice a year. Everything from road-borne dust to pollen and algae can shroud the array, slightly reducing its performance. Ask your installer for advice on whether your array is best turned off during cleaning. Do not take on this high work or any ladder work unless you are fit and have someone managing the ladder. The only thing we should be using is warm water and a very mild soap like washing-up liquid. The brush, sponge or cloth will be soft, exactly as you would use on the vulnerable paintwork of your car. Don't use any form of abrasive cleaner or harsh chemicals on your solar-PV panels, and choose the early morning or an overcast day when they are not scalding hot. Throwing ice-cold water on them could be damaging. The correct form of brushes comes ready to attach to long, interconnecting or extending poles and can be connected to your hose. There should be no pressure exerted on the surface. Don't bang the brush set down onto the glass, or drag it back on electrical components. If your panels or lightly dusty, you could simply hose them down. Don't use a power washer from a ladder. You could blow yourself into A&E. An experienced window cleaner can clean an array. Ensure they understand its demands. Learning curve If this is your first summer with solar-PV on the roof or on the ground, you are probably really enjoying its passive magic. Even a smaller array without a battery will be contributing to your daily electricity usage from 9am to 6pm in a very meaningful way. It's worth watching the real-time performance of grid/solar-PV gain on your dedicated app or just ticking away on the inverter or water-diverter interface (it will depend on your setup). Using the software readouts on your PC, tablet, or phone, notice when your usage spikes over 24 hours, as this can help you to manage your supply more effectively. I discovered we were charging our car outside the set overnight period on an Energia graph that also records my solar-PV contributions every half hour through the smart meter. If you have an electric shower, you can see that the solar-PV even in high summer at midday cannot handle a draw of 10akW, but it can cut it in half if you shower during daylight hours. The solar-PV will segue in with your battery supply and real-time collection working with the Grid. If you have highly efficient A-rated laundry appliances, it's possible to run a washing machine and a heat-pump dryer simultaneously right off the roof in high summer, but otherwise, try sequential use. Don't be neurotic about the array's performance in winter, but try to understand more fully what it can and cannot do.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Home Q&A: How do I qualify for the solar electricity PV grant?
Question How do I know if I qualify for the solar electricity grant? Answer Helping with 30% of the cost of a solar-PV array and its installation, the SEAI grant not only gives you a financial boost but ensures your supplier is registered through the SEAI mechanism. To qualify for a solar-PV (domestic) grant handled by the SEAI, you need to meet certain criteria. You must be the owner of a home built and occupied before 2021. You need to use designated materials and products that were not already covered by another grant scheme (for instance, the Vacant Homes Refurbishment grants). You will be required to use a registered, tax-compliant company from the SEAI's registered Approved Installer list of companies. The electrical works must be completed by a Safe Electric Ireland electrician (upgrades are occasionally necessary). You will need to apply to ESB Networks to be connected to the electricity distribution system using the ESB Networks NC6 form. Your registered installer should do this for you during the course of the paperwork. You must provide a Declaration of Works signed by a registered installer on the SEAI solar-PV-Approved installer list. Also, you will be required to have a Building Energy Rating (BER) carried out after the work is completed; €50 grant aid is available through the SEAI. You must meet the requirements in the solar-PV code of practice and pass any audit set by the SEAI. Don't start work before you have a letter of offer from the SEAI. For everything else you need to know, go to Got a question for our Home team? Email Home@
Irish Independent
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Independent
Mayo records sharp increase in electric car registrations
Between January and May this year, 127 electric vehicles were registered in Mayo, up from the 88 registered on the same period in 2024. This gives the county just over a 1pc share of all the electric vehicles registered in Ireland between January and May this year. In Mayo, 1,358 new vehicles were registered between January and May of this year, a 6.18pc increase on the 1,279 registered last year. Petrol cars remain the most popular engine type, accounting for 27.60pc of the market, followed by hybrid (petrol electric) at 23.09pc, diesel at 17.42pc, electric at 15.63pc, and plug-in electric hybrid at 14.64pc. Brian Cooke, SIMI Director General, said that private consumers continue to account for the majority of EV sales. 'While we are now on schedule to reach the interim Climate Action Plan target of 175,000 electric cars (EV & PHEV) by the end of this year, as highlighted by the EPA recently, we need to do more to accelerate the growth in EV sales between now and the end of the decade. In this context, Government initiatives and supports will be vital' he said. Grants of up to €3,500 are available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for purchasing for privately purchased battery electric vehicles. Approved electric vehicles with a full price of more than €60,000 and less than €14,000 are not eligible for grants.
The Journal
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Journal
Strike while the weather is hot! Get 20% off your gas boiler service when you book now
IT'S EASY TO forget your gas boiler maintenance when temperatures rise. That's why summer is the perfect time to beat the winter rush and make sure your boiler is ready to do its job when the season changes. Another reason to book your gas boiler service right now? Bord Gáis Energy is offering a 20% discount for a limited time. Why is a boiler service so important? The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) recommends a professional gas boiler service once a year in order to 'make it run more efficiently, improve safety, and reduce fuel consumption by 10%'. But a professional boiler service isn't just an important efficiency boost that can save you up to 10% on your energy costs. It's also a critical safety check that reduces the risk of breakdown and carbon monoxide emissions. That's because appliances that burn natural gas can create carbon monoxide if they're not working properly. Your engineer will check for this. Advertisement Bord Gáis Energy is one of the most trusted names in the business. This year alone, Bord Gáis Energy's engineers have already visited more than 60,000 Irish boilers to carry out their 19-check service and safety check. And no, you don't need to be a Bord Gáis Energy gas customer to book a service. What's included in a professional boiler service? A professional gas boiler service, like the one you'll get from Bord Gáis Energy, involves as many as 19 separate checks, which is why it's essential to ensure your engineer is registered with the Registered Gas Installers (RGI) of Ireland. These checks include electrical safety tests and checks on components, temperature control, and burner pressure and elements specific to your boiler type. The engineer will also check your carbon monoxide detector. Afterwards, you'll be given an RGI Compliance Certificate. To find out more about the range of gas boiler care services from Bord Gáis Energy, visit this page . Book online today for 20% off a gas boiler service, offer ends 30 June.
