COULD DIY SOLAR ENERGY BE RIGHT FOR YOU?
Updated November 15, 2024
By Morgan Pierce
Are you someone who, when your car starts making a “funny noise”, pops the bonnet and starts tinkering until it’s sorted? The person who, after the latest winter storm, heads up to the roof to batten down those displaced tiles?
Do you love the challenge of figuring things out? Or, like me, did you leave the field of battle when your children graduated from DUPLO building blocks to those tiny LEGO ones?
These are all pretty good questions to ask yourself if you’re pondering the cost of solar and considering whether it’s the kind of thing you can and should be able to install yourself. After all, the professionals keep saying the technology is simple and the component parts durable.
It’s true that solar is long lasting and not nearly as complicated to install as LEGO’s Eiffel Tower is to build. If, however, your main reason for going the DIY route over working with a professional installer is to save money, you need to give the process a careful think.
There are some reputable providers of DIY solar panel kits out there. If you’re going to attempt to source components yourself, it makes sense to do so from an Irish-based company. Beware of the random adverts from Ebay, Amazon and Alibaba that will start popping up in your social media feeds the minute you start doing web searches for “DIY solar panels”. They’re cheap for a reason.
Looking on line and doing some rough calculations myself, it seemed to me that buying the basic components myself would cost about half as much as they would if provided by a professional installer. But there’s quite a lot left out in that phrase “basic components”.
For instance, one DIY solar panel enthusiast who successfully mounted panels on a tool shed said his kit had come with everything but:
- “50m 3 core 4mm2 armoured AC cable
- 4” conduit to bury the armoured cable in the garden
- Trunking and clips for cables, for running the AC cable up the shed and house wall.
- Aluminium panelling to place the trunking/cables behind on the shed wall.
Those extra bits added up to another €250 of “basic components”.
That brought the cost of parts for his 6-panel solar array up to almost €2,500. As said, that’s about half of what you might expect to pay for the parts for the same size array through a registered installer.
SEAI Grant and DIY Solar
But there’s something the DIY solar panel kit providers don’t tell you. Their kits are not covered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s (SEAI) generous grants for solar. These grants cover up to €2,100 of costs – but only when the system is installed by an SEAI registered contractor.
In other words – the SEAI grant almost entirely eliminates the financial incentive for a DIY solar installation!
There are also, though, the costs of hiring scaffolding, of doing any groundwork or building support structures that might be needed. These can require specialist knowledge and equipment, and will certainly add to any costs above those “basic components.”
Even if you are happy to do it yourself, much of the work – especially up on the roof – calls for a second competent pair of hands. Many of us will decide to make that second pair of hands those of a trained professional like a roofer. A wise move, but again one that will add substantial cost to your “DIY” project.
Then there is the final “add-on” cost – and it is the most important. Your DIY solar panel system will need connecting to the grid. That means you’ll need to hire a registered electrical contractor (RECI) to help apply for permission for the installation before it goes up, and to then provide a commissioning certificate for the system when the work has been completed. See here for details, including links to the relevant application forms: https://www.esbnetworks.ie/new-connections/generator-connections-group/micro-generators-
For fun, get yourself that LEGO Eiffel Tower kit. You’ll get better value for money, and peace of mind you’ve got a safe, secure, well-running solar system by turning to the experts.
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.