Data reveals major increase in Mayo solar panel installation

New data has revealed a sharp increase in the installation of solar panels with grant support in Mayo last year.

All in all, 835 grants were given to Mayo homes under an SEAI Solar PV scheme, which marks an increase of 42 per cent on the year before. This represents an average of 70 homes per month for the county.

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The 2025 figures show that the installation rates show no signs of slowing down. In January, 95 Mayo houses were approved to install solar panels, a marked increase from the average month in 2024.

Almost €195,000 in total was awarded under the scheme last month in Mayo.

Nationally, €4,600,000 was awarded across 2,324 households in January. Mayo ranks seventh in the list and represents 4.1 per cent of the national installations.

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The grant scheme awarded a maximum figure of €2,400 per successful applicant. However, both in 2024 and 2025 this figure was reduced by €300.

Brian Kelly, from renewable energy information site energyefficency.ie, is wary of the ramifications which could stem from these reductions. He also sees the shrinking of grant figures as counterintuitive.

“The reason the government has given for this is the declining cost of solar PV installations, a trend which they evidently expect to continue,” he stated.

“However, this goes against common sense given Ireland’s target of generating 80 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2030, and it also ignores the potentially significant psychological benefits of grants on solar adoption numbers.”