The term ‘solar panel’ is often used interchangeably to describe the panels that generate electricity and those that generate hot water.

• Solar panels that produce electricity are known as solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. These panels generate electricity when exposed to light. Solar PV is the rooftop solar you see on homes and businesses.
• Solar panels that produce hot water are known as solar thermal collectors or solar hot water collectors.

The Solar electricity grant focuses on PV, where solar electric panels capture the light from the sun and convert it into the electricity that is used in your home to power your TV, kettle, toaster, phone charger, radio, oven, and so on.

A domestic solar PV system consists of a number of solar panels mounted to your roof (or in your garden) and connected into the electrical loads within your building. The solar panels generate DC (direct current – like a battery) electricity, which is then converted in an inverter to AC (alternating current – like the electricity in your domestic socket). Solar PV systems are rated in kilowatts (kW). A 1kW solar PV system would require 3 or 4 solar panels on your roof.

Any excess electricity produced can be stored in a battery, or other storage solution like your hot water immersion tank. It can also be exported from your house into the electrical network on your street.

A solar electric system (PV) is typically made up of:

• Solar panels on the roof, which generate DC (direct current – like in a battery).
• An ‘Inverter’ which converts this to AC (alternating current – like the electricity in your house socket).
• Sometimes a battery on larger systems to save energy for later use.

Here’s a step-by-step overview of how home solar power works:

1. When sunlight hits a solar panel, an electric charge is created through the photovoltaic effect or PV effect
2. The solar panel feeds this electric charge into inverters, which change it from direct current (DC) into alternate current (AC) electricity
3. The AC electricity runs through your electrical panel and is distributed throughout your home — just like grid energy
4. Excess solar energy is stored in batteries or pushed onto the grid to power local systems
   • Through net metering, solar owners get credit for the excess energy they put on the grid to offset the grid energy they pull off the grid when their panels aren’t producing
   • With battery storage, solar owners can store excess production to power their homes at night

The amount of energy that solar panels produce in Ireland will depend on the size of the installation and the location of the panels. However, a typical residential solar panel installation can generate from 2kWh to 7kWh of electricity. (Depends on the residential Home Size)

Yes, solar panels can indeed be used to power electric car chargers.

The AC electricity is directed to the electric car charger, which is connected to the electric vehicle (EV) via a charging cable. The EV’s onboard charging system manages the flow of electricity from the charger to the vehicle’s battery pack. As the battery charges, the EV’s charging indicator or dashboard display provides feedback on the charging progress.

Once the battery reaches its desired state of charge, the charging process is complete, and the EV is ready to be driven using the stored electric energy.

Solar panels can still produce some electricity on cloudy days in Ireland, although the output will be lower than on sunny days.

SEAI, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, offers great benefits for homeowners interested in solar energy. They provide helpful information and financial support to make it easier for you to install solar panels on your home.

With SEAI’s assistance, you can access grants and incentives that help cover the costs of going solar. Plus, by harnessing the power of the sun with solar panels, you can reduce your electricity bills, decrease your carbon footprint, and contribute to a cleaner, greener future for Ireland.

EverPower can offers SEAI grants of up to €2100 for residential homeowners.