Monday, 28th September 2026 – The Micro Renewable Energy Federation (MREF) has welcomed reports that the Government is planning major improvements in solar PV grants for homes, farms and businesses, the introduction of grant supports for battery storage and extending eligibility for grants to houses constructed since 2021 in Budget 2027, which is due to be delivered by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris TD on Tuesday, 6th October next. Measures are understood to include the eligibility of newer homes, constructed after 2021, for grant supports for solar PV installations.
Commenting, MREF Chairman, Ciaran Kells, said: “MREF set out a number of practical measures in its 2027 Pre-Budget Submission making a strong case for improvements in solar PV grants up to at least 6kw, the introduction of grants for installing battery storage and insisting that the Government removes the exclusion of houses that received a new ESB connections after 2021 from securing a grant.”
Mr. Kells said that MREF has continually highlighted the anomaly whereby homes constructed after 2021 are denied access to grants supports for solar PV installations. He said: “Proposed changes to extend grant eligibility to homes constructed since 2021 is very welcome, and overdue.”
Mr. Kells said: “In our Submission, we were particularly critical of the restrictions now on TAMS supports for farm solar PV installations and proposed that non-domestic grants from the SEAI should be increased to replace TAMS. We also sought new grant supports for battery storage. These measures will also assist thousands of small businesses in reducing their energy costs and carbon emissions.”
Mr Kells welcomed recent reports that improved supports are now planned for the micro-generation sector would not alone encourage all stakeholders to take action and commit to micro-generation, but that this would be a wise and justifiable spend of tax payers money in helping the country decarbonise and move away from its dependence on fossil fuel imports from price and geo-politically unstable regions of the world.
ENDS
To learn more about the Micro-Renewable Energy Federation, please go to www.mref.ie
