Solar electricity grant (solar PV)

The first step is to choose your company. You must select an SEAI registered company. Be sure to:

• Shop around to get the best quote
• Check references and talk to previous customers
• Get a written contract detailing the works, prices, time, payment terms and warranties
• You should ask your chosen company:
  • How much energy the PV system produces in a year
  • The total cost
  • Ongoing service and maintenance costs
  • What warranty they provide
  • Whether your roof and electricity demand is suitable for PV

What is the solar PV company responsible for?

• Putting a contract in place with you
• Ensuring your installation meets best practice, along with the required installation and technical standards of this grant scheme
• Arranging for an SEAI registered installer to complete your installation
• Submitting a NC6 form to ESB Networks, registering your installation with them for connection to the electricity grid
• Uploading completed documentation to SEAI when the installation is complete

What is the solar PV installer responsible for?

• Completing the installation
• Declaring that the solar PV installation meets this grant scheme requirements
• Completing and signing the Declaration of Works Form

SEAI does not approve, guarantee, or warranty a company or their works.

• Apply for your grant online and wait for your Letter of Offer before you start the works. You will receive your grant offer via email. Check the company carrying out your installation is the company referenced in your Letter of Offer.
• If you need to change the company, you will need to email [email protected] to cancel your existing application. You can then reapply with the correct company. This can only be done if the works have not started.

Applying as an Owner Management Company 

• Owner Management Company applications can only be created by the OMC unit or associated Property Management Agency, with written authorisation from the OMC. Contact our team on [email protected] or 018082004 to get the forms to apply.

Check the details before you start works

• Be sure the details in your Letter of Offer are correct. Your grant is only payable for the measure, size of installation, named company and grant amount in the offer letter.
• To change your chosen company, you’ll need to cancel your existing application by contacting [email protected]. You can reapply with the correct company, if you have not yet started works.
• To change the size or type of installation, email [email protected] before works begin. You must get approval from SEAI before starting.

Installer applies to EBS Networks

• Your installer must apply to ESB Networks to connect your solar PV system to the electricity network, before installing the system. This application process usually takes at least 4 weeks / 20 working days.

Your solar PV system can now be installed. Once you receive grant approval, you have 8 months to complete the works and submit the Declaration of Works. After 8 months the grant expires and will be not be paid.

Safety file from contractor

Make sure to hold onto any documentation from your contractor. They must provide you with your safety file. For details on what it should contain, see '4.2 Safety file from contractor' on the support for individual grant applications page.

All grant applicants must carry out a post-works BER assessment. This is required before drawing down the grant. It must be carried out by a registered SEAI BER Assessor. 

When you have your installation date, organise your post-works BER assessment. Do not forget this step or it may cause delays with your grant payment. 

Your solar PV company will give you the documentation related to your installation. They will also submit copies to SEAI electronically. Please ensure they do this as soon as the installation is complete.

They will submit the below documents required to make a request for payment:

• Declaration of Works (Completed and signed by the Installer)
• Inspection, Test and Commissioning Certificate
• Safe Electric (‘RECI’) copy of Certificate
• Completed ESB Networks NC6 Form
• Completion of approved post-works BER Assessment of the property (see please note below)
• Invoice describing the works completed
• Photographs of the installation as described in the Declaration of Works Form (above)

Please note: Your BER Assessor will submit your BER Assessment paperwork by publishing it on the National BER Register. SEAI will review all documents submitted and will verify your installation meets the Scheme requirements.

Grants are paid into your nominated bank account once we receive the forms mentioned in Step 5 and the post-works BER has been published by your BER Assessor. Please allow 4 to 6 weeks to process the grant payment.

Once your documents have been submitted by your Solar PV Company, you can check the status of your request for payment by logging into your account on the online application portal.

We sometimes carry out inspections to make sure your energy efficiency was improved as much as possible. If your home is inspected and reworks are necessary, your contractor will need to make a return visit. This will impact payment timeframes.

Read the Guide to Inspections to get a sense of what is involved if your home is inspected.

• The grant, once approved, is only payable in respect of the measure, size of installation and grant amount referenced in the Grant Offer. Should you wish to increase the size of your array, you will need to contact the Solar PV Team in advance of works commencing, including up to the day of the install, but before works start.
• The Grant offer once accepted is only payable in respect of the measure(s) contained in the application and referenced in the grant offer. Any scope changes in terms of the size, type of installation and/or selected company, must receive prior approval from SEAI. Scope changes not notified and approved by SEAI will not be eligible for payment.
• Applicants are eligible for the grant amounts that are in effect at the time of application i.e. if you cancel an application and then recreate a new application, and the grant amounts have changed in the meantime, you will be eligible for the grant amount in effect at the time of creating the new application and not those that were in effect at the time of the original application..
• A change of company will require cancellation of your application and the creation of a new one, nominating the new company. Where the grant amounts have changed in the meantime, you will be eligible for the grant amount in effect at the time of creating the new application
• Get your BER arranged immediately after your solar PV has been installed. This will speed up your grant payment. Ensure BER assessor publishes it as soon as completed.
• Check the company carrying out the installation is the company referenced in your approval letter/email. If you need to change the company, you will need to contact the helpdesk to cancel your existing application and reapply with the correct company. This can only be done if the works have not started.
• Ensure your company uploads ALL the required documentation after installation, ideally within 1-3 days.
• Check the bank account details that are entered in the portal are correct. Bank details must be your account (the applicant) or the Solar PV company's account. You can log into your portal to check these details.
• Retain all invoices, receipts and documents of completion of works for presentation to SEAI personnel should your home be chosen for QA inspection at some date in the future. These may also be required for your BER assessment.
• Once inspections reworks are complete, payment will be processed 2 weeks after.
• For any technical advice or queries, please contact our technical team, you can contact them on 012776977 or [email protected]