New data has revealed there were 526 solar panel installations carried out on homes in Laois throughout 2024.
Solar panel installations with grant support increased by 34% in Laois last year, as households turn to solar energy to cut their energy bills.
Nationally, there was a 24% increase in solar systems installed, with every county seeing an increase on 2023 figures.
There were 29,151 arrays of solar panels installed on homes across Ireland with grants, a jump of 6,441 on the year before.
Offaly had the highest percentage increase in the state (46%), followed by Mayo, Meath and Kerry.
The increase in installations last year came after the maximum SEAI grant for solar panels was reduced in January 2024 by €300 to €2,100.
At the beginning this month, the grant was reduced again by €300 to €1,800.
Renewable energy expert Briain Kelly of EnergyEfficiency.ie said that it is extremely promising to see that installations increased across the board last year despite the grant being reduced.
“These new figures from the SEAI show that the demand for solar panels remains strong in Laois,” he said.
“Energy costs in Ireland remain among the highest in Europe, resulting in more people looking for ways of slashing their electricity bills.
“Solar panels have many benefits for households – from saving them thousands of euros in energy bills each year and cutting their carbon footprint, to increasing the value of the home.”
Mr Kelly said that although installations have increased, the benefits of solar are still overlooked by some people due to our climate.
“A common misconception that persists is that solar panels don’t work unless it’s a clear, sunny day.
“This simply isn’t the case – while direct sunshine does generate more free electricity, solar panels also create a great deal of electricity even on cloudier days.”
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