The short answer is yes. While Ireland does have its fair amount of rain, the solar PV systems generate electricity in daylight. That means they still function on overcast days. Solar panels will always perform their best in direct sunlight.  A well located 1.8kWp system (6 panel) could generate around 1,500kWh of electricity a year. That is about one-third of the typical annual electricity demand of an Irish home.

The cost of purchasing and installing solar panels has come down considerably over the last 10 years. The cost of a solar PV system depends on a range of factors including the hardware chosen, size of system, monitoring equipment and the structure and type of roof or site.

The best systems for people are ones where most of the energy is used within your home, rather that spilling onto the grid or exported, as you get the best value for the electricity. So generally this means installing a system that will provide about one-third of your electricity needs. If you want to go beyond that you will need to install a storage system (essentially a battery) which will allow you use the solar electricity when the sun is not shining (i.e. at night).

South is best in the respect that it will generate the most electricity, but other orientations can also work. East facing panels will generate most of their energy before midday, but they still will work in the afternoon but will not generate to the same level. East-west facing panels may suit the use pattern over people’s home, where they are home in mornings or evenings and out during day.

Shading can be a problem from trees or chimneys and so the panels should be installed to avoid any potential shading. It’s also important to think about whether existing trees will grow and possibly block the panels in the future or if you are installing during the autumn/winter when there are no leaves present.