Almost €2 million saved locally in Donegal through switching to solar energy

Homes and businesses in Donegal saved an estimated €1,936,410 on electricity costs last year through adopting small-scale solar energy systems. 

The latest findings by the newly launched Irish Small-Scale Solar Tracker show that these savings have come from the widespread installation of solar panels across the county.

According to the figures, approximately 2,776 solar panel systems were installed in Donegal, with a combined capacity of 11.2 megawatts - which is the equivalent of over 22,400 individual panels. 

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Native Donegal man and founder of Kilowatt.ie, the electricity price comparison website which published findings, Dominic Ó Gallachóir said that the surge in the recent adaptations to solar energy is due to a range of policy changes and incentives for consumers.

Dominic said: "The growth of solar microgeneration in Ireland has taken off since late 2022, driven by multiple factors: the removal of planning permission requirements for rooftop solar, the introduction of export payments, and grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland."

He added: "It's encouraging to see substantial savings for electricity consumers. We're now witnessing more households completely eliminating their electricity bills by combining extensive solar installations with electricity tariffs offering generous export payments."

Donegal now ranks 16th nationally for small scale solar installations and 25th per capita.