REVEALED: Solar panel installation data for Kilkenny in January

New data has revealed that 52 homes in Co. Kilkenny installed solar panels in January with grant support from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

Co. Kilkenny saw a 22% increase in solar panel installations last year with SEAI grants, with 684 installations in the county.

January saw €108,875 in grants awarded under the Solar PV Scheme to Kilkenny households, with €4.6 million awarded in solar grants across Ireland.

Nationally, there were 2,324 new solar installations in the first month of this year, with the highest number recorded in Dublin (433), followed by Cork (264) and Limerick (159). 

After the home solar grant was reduced by €300 at the beginning of 2025, solar energy expert Briain Kelly of EnergyEfficiency.ie has warned of the potential negative impact these reductions could have on the adoption of solar PV.

“There are different grants available for solar, but the most well-known is the Solar PV Scheme which currently offers homeowners up to €1,800 for rooftop panels,” he said.

“Just two years ago, this grant scheme awarded a maximum of €2,400 – and it is the currently the only programme under threat as it continues to be reduced by €300 each year.

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

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