Ger O’Mahoney’s solar panels put a smile on his face, no matter the weather. That’s because they’re not just helping to heat his water, they’re bringing down his energy bills too. As a long-standing Electric Ireland customer, he felt assured this would be the case before he proceeded with panels.
He became seriously interested in energy efficiency when he and his wife and nine-year-old son moved into their current home, a two-storey, four-bedroom new-build on an estate near Kilkenny city, three years ago.
Prior to that they lived in a 25-year-old three-bedroom bungalow nearby, with gas fired central heating and poor insulation.
Their new home was A-rated for energy efficiency and came with top notch insulation as standard, as well as an electric heat pump to keep it cosier especially during winter.
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Their home is a former showhouse of the development, and came with a large garden.
But for Ger a huge part of its appeal was the heat pump, something he had researched extensively, and its high BER rating.
To him it makes more sense to spend money on energy efficiency than it does to keep it as savings in the bank, “where you get no return,” he points out.
As a full-time carer who gave up his previous career in retail to look after his wife, he has no choice but to be savvy about money, he explains.
It’s why, as soon as he moved in, he began researching the potential return on investment that solar panels could offer him.
As well as the clear environmental benefits of generating renewable electricity from the sun, he was keen to cut the family’s electricity bills even more.
Supports – and reassurance
Ger was also keen to make the most of the government-backed SEAI solar PV grant offered through Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
At the back of his mind was a concern that these may, at some stage, be reduced. “They’ve already come down for electric vehicles,” he points out.
Right now, not alone is there currently no VAT levied on solar PV installations but grants of up to €1800 are available towards the cost, depending on the size of the array, making it a particularly good time to make the investment, he says.
He started out by shopping around for an approved solar panel installation provider.
“I got quite a few quotes over the phone because a lot of providers take your Eircode and look at your house on Google Maps, and can assess it that way,” he explains.
Initially he was concerned that the orientation of his house might make it unsuitable for solar panels, but that wasn’t the case at all.
“Everyone thinks you have to have a south facing roof but ours is more east/west and I was a bit worried about that. In fact, while it generates 20 per cent less than it would if it was south facing, it was still well situated,” he says.
Two years on, Ger estimates that his solar panels are saving the family around €1,000 annually on electricity bills. With a net installation cost of €7,000 after the SEAI grant, his payback period is about seven years – though he notes that for many others, it could be as little as five to six years, especially with the cost of solar PV coming down over the past year.
He also enjoys the convenience of having just one bill to cover both heating and electricity use. “Not only that but that one bill is a lot less than the gas and electricity bills we used to get – and for a house that is nearly twice the size of our old one,” he points out.
Power to the people
“Microgeneration was the game changer for me because with solar panels you used to have to buy a battery and what you didn’t use yourself was wasted. But with microgeneration you get to sell it back to the grid,” he explains.
Electric Ireland offers customers a microgeneration rate of 19.5c per kWh for energy fed back into the grid.
In all, Ger was so impressed with his solar panels that he continued his electric journey by swapping his old car for a new electric one, and had a charger installed on his drive. That too is saving him money.
Thanks to his smart meter, he knows exactly what electricity his household uses - and–when it peaks. That insight helped him choose the 24hour smart plan because it offers a flat rate throughout the day and night “For people who are out working all day a time-of-use plan might work better, but because we’re here all day, the 24hour plan is ideal” he explains. Even with a flat rate, he’s saving more by charging his EV during the day using electricity from his solar panels. It is “costing about a quarter of what it would with petrol” he explains.
Solar panels work all year round, regardless of the weather, but generate more in the summer. “My next two bills will be credits which I can put towards the winter months,” he explains.
It’s why he no longer fears winter bills at all, despite staying cosy year-round.
Little wonder he is evangelical about his solar panels. “I’m always recommending them to friends and neighbours on the resident’s association WhatsApp group. If anyone puts up a note asking about solar, I’m usually one of the first to tell them all about it because it really is wonderful,” he says.
Summer or winter, rain or shine, he’s happy out; “It was just the best decision”.
What Electric Ireland Offers
Electric Ireland offers Solar PV solutions, installations are typically completed within a day, with minimal disruption to the home. Customers can avail of SEAI grants and benefit from expert consultation, competitive pricing, and credit to your Electric Ireland account for any electricity exported to the grid. Current offers include a free battery worth €2,950 for installs of 12 panels or more.
With over 130,000 homes across Ireland now equipped with solar panels, the shift toward renewable energy is accelerating – making it a great time to explore solar for your home.
Find out how you too can benefit from solar panels and microgeneration.
Electric Ireland are proud sponsors of Ireland’s Greenest Places. To nominate the places – and the people behind the places – that you believe deserve to be acknowledged and recognised in The Irish Times click here.
