The SEAI solar PV grant for business is temporarily worth about twice what it was. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) lifted the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Grant (NDMG) from circa 23% to 45% of eligible costs for new applications made between 6 October 2026 and 6 July 2027.
The headline rate is not the whole story. SEAI pays the lower of 45% of the invoice or a fixed value per kilowatt peak (kWp). On larger arrays, that fixed value can be the real limit.
The enhanced SEAI solar PV grant for business applies to new applications only
Applications made from 6 October 2026 qualify for the 45% rate. Existing applications are not increased, because state aid rules do not allow grandfathering. A site that has already started works keeps its current offer.
The scheme is open to businesses, the agricultural sector, public bodies, schools, community centres and non-profit societies. Systems from 1 kWp to 1,000 kWp are eligible, with a maximum grant of €325,200. The Government estimates an average installation saves approximately €12,000 a year and expects around 1,250 businesses to benefit.
The fixed per-kWp value caps larger grants before 45% does
SEAI publishes a value for each size band: €4,800 for systems of 4 to 6 kWp, then €600 per kWp from 7 to 20 kWp, €400 per kWp from 21 to 200 kWp and €300 per kWp from 201 to 1,000 kWp. Applied cumulatively, these bands reproduce SEAI’s €325,200 maximum at 1,000 kWp.
Dividing each fixed grant by 45% gives the installed cost per kWp above which the fixed value, not the percentage, sets the payment:
- 100 kWp: grant €45,200; fixed value binds above €1,004 per kWp
- 250 kWp: grant €100,200; binds above €891 per kWp
- 500 kWp: grant €175,200; binds above €779 per kWp
- 1,000 kWp: grant €325,200; binds above €723 per kWp
Method: cumulative band values from the SEAI NDMG page, divided by 0.45, then by system size. Compare your installer’s quote per kWp with the threshold for your size. If the quote is higher, your effective grant rate is below 45%.
Size the array to the site's load, not to the grant
A bigger array earns a bigger grant, but exported electricity is typically worth less than electricity a site avoids buying. The value of each kWp depends on how much of its output the site uses on the day.
That makes half-hourly interval data the starting point. An energy audit that profiles base load, weekend demand and seasonal swings shows where self-consumption falls away. Sites planning heat pumps or other electrification should size against the load they will have after those projects, not today’s load. Our engineering design team models both.
The 6 July 2027 cut-off is closer than it looks
Applicants must sign a contract with a registered SEAI Non-Domestic Microgen company before applying, then wait for a letter of offer before starting works. The installer applies to ESB Networks for grid connection, which takes at least 20 working days. Offers are valid for eight months.
A site that needs board approval, a structural survey of the roof and a competitive tender has less time than the nine-month window suggests. Grants above €10,000 in a calendar year also require tax clearance through the Revenue Online Service.
Verified savings keep the business case honest
The €12,000 average saving is an estimate. A site’s result depends on its tariff, its load profile and the array’s performance. Measurement and verification (M&V) to the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) sets a baseline before installation and reports verified kWh and euro savings after it. That evidence also feeds Scope 2 reporting and the site’s climate action plan. See how we support manufacturing sites.
On larger arrays, SEAI’s fixed per-kWp values set the grant once installed costs pass the thresholds above. Sizing to verified load and applying early protects both the grant and the payback.
