Government to boost solar grants to businesses

Industry says move will cut installation costs in advance of EU directive imposing renewable requirements on bigger business

The Government is to broaden solar grants to businesses in an effort to encourage more of them to switch to this form of electricity.

Ministers Eamon Ryan and Simon Coveney confirmed on Tuesday that the Government intends amending the Non-domestic Microgeneration Scheme run by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to extend supports to a wider range of businesses.

SEAI will offer grants ranging from €2,700 to €162,200 to help businesses to install solar panels, which could fund anything from corner shops to factories, according to a statement.

The move could cut up to 30 per cent off the cost to a business of installing solar power, the Government said. It calculates the scheme could cost €15 million in 2023.

Conall Bolger, chief executive of Irish Solar Energy Association, predicted that the grants would encourage more businesses to use solar and noted that:“A new EU directive will introduce requirements for large buildings to install solar in the years ahead.”

Mr Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said that businesses should use the opportunities that renewable power provided to cut costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Businesses using renewables are more resilient to price volatility and well-placed as we decarbonise our economy,” he said.