CAN I POWER MY HOME WITH SOLAR ONLY?
Updated September 27, 2024
By Morgan Pierce
“Off Grid.” That’s how the practice of disconnecting one’s home from all of the major publicly available utilities – electricity, water, gas, oil – is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary. It’s what a lot of us envision when we first hear the question, “Can my home be powered by solar alone?”
With due consideration, and a good deal of planning, living off the Grid is possible. In Ireland, too.
But is doing so a realistic reflection of your abilities, your finances, your work and educational needs, and your entire family’s level of commitment to the goal?
To go entirely off grid — no gas, no electricity, no water from utility companies – means any electricity generated by solar only, needs to be used to generate heat, to pump water from a well, to run major appliances, televisions, computers, and smart phones. Even if you are a climate-conscious consumer with an inclination to limit your energy consumption, that’s a lot to consider – and potentially, a lot of power to generate.
But the truth is that “going off grid” isn’t really what people mean when they ask if they can power their whole home with solar only.
They are really asking, “how can solar work for me?”
What we’ve discovered in our years in this business is that solar can work for loads of us in Ireland. It can work with the goals, the lifestyles, the financial, family and professional commitments we already have, while honouring the commitment to the planet’s future so many of us are keen to make.
Solar panels work by converting the sun’s rays into DC power, then a device called an inverter converts that DC power into the AC electricity used to power homes. The sun’s rays are free, but they are also variable – it does not shine for the same length of time, with the same intensity, without cloud cover or rain every day.
That’s one of the reasons that most homes and small businesses that install solar panels, still rely on power from the national grid.
Your Solar Only Home Journey
For those interested in being as energy independent as possible (by getting their power as often as they can from solar only), a battery offers the opportunity to convert and store excess power. Battery power can be used as a source of energy at night, during a general power outage, or when the sun fails to generate sufficient electricity. (If you want to know more about batteries, we dedicated a blog to them a few months back.)
The cost of transitioning to solar energy has dropped significantly in recent years. Thanks to grants from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and government backed green loans from banks and building societies, going green has become an affordable way for many of us to future proof our homes. Solar is now among the least-expensive forms of renewable energy.
Savings on energy costs also add up. Those who have opted to add battery storage to their solar installation will further protect themselves by limiting the amount of high-priced fossil-fuel based power they’ll need to supplement their solar.
For instance, the SEAI grant will take €2,100 off the installation of one of our “SolarSmart4” 4.3 kWp 10-panel solar PV and battery storage systems. That brings the total fitted price down to €9,533.
The SolarSmart4 generates approximately 3600 kWh/year, fits on most semi-detached roofs and would meet the energy needs of many families. The addition of a 5 kWh battery doubles the savings.
The SolarSmart4 saves homeowners an average of €1100/year on electricity – meaning it has paid for itself in under nine years.
Lower cost, plus savings, and in Ireland if your solar panels produce more power than you can use, you can also now make money by selling that extra power back to the grid.
You can power your home with solar. Our SolarSmart Solar Experts can help you design the most effective, cost-saving system to meet your individual energy needs. Give us a call to get our expertise working for you.
Why Choose Solar In Ireland?
Investing in a solar panel systems in Ireland can bring many benefits, including reduced energy bills, increased energy independence, and a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in installing a solar panel system in Ireland, it is also worth exploring the different grant options and green business loans available and seeking professional advice from one of our solar energy advisors.
Feel free to contact us for more information, we’re here to help.