Selling Solar Electricity Back to the Grid in Ireland
Can You Sell Solar Electricity Back to the Grid in Ireland?
Yes. If you have solar panels, you can sell the electricity you don’t use back to the grid. Your energy supplier pays you for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) you export. Export rates vary by supplier, typically ranging from 15 to 24c per kWh.
This is possible through the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS), which was introduced in 2022 to support homeowners and small businesses generating their own renewable electricity.
How Does Selling Electricity Back to the Grid Work?
The process is straightforward once your system is set up.
Your solar panels generate electricity during daylight hours. Your home uses what it needs in real time, powering appliances, heating water, and so on. Any electricity your home doesn’t use at that moment is surplus. That surplus flows out through your meter and into the national grid.
Your smart meter records both what you import (buy from the grid) and what you export (send back). Your energy supplier then credits you for the exported electricity on your bill.
You won’t receive a separate payment. Instead, the export credit reduces your electricity bill. If you export enough, your bill could be very small. In practice, most households still have a net bill because electricity usage in the evenings (when panels aren’t producing) is covered by grid imports at a higher rate.
The key numbers to understand: you pay around 35c to 40c per kWh for electricity you import, but export rates typically range from 15 to 24c per kWh. This means every unit of solar electricity you use yourself saves you more than selling it.
How Much Will You Earn From Exporting?
Your export income depends on your system size, how much electricity your household uses during the day, and whether you have a battery storage system.
Here are typical annual export figures for a standard home.
Without Battery Storage
| System Size | Annual Export (approx) | Export Income (at 15-24c/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 kW | 800 - 1,200 kWh | €120 - €290 |
| 4 kW | 1,500 - 2,000 kWh | €225 - €480 |
| 6 kW | 2,200 - 3,000 kWh | €330 - €720 |
With Battery Storage
| System Size | Annual Export (approx) | Export Income (at 15-24c/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 kW | 400 - 700 kWh | €60 - €170 |
| 4 kW | 800 - 1,200 kWh | €120 - €290 |
| 6 kW | 1,200 - 1,800 kWh | €180 - €430 |
With a battery, you export less because you’re storing surplus energy for evening use instead of sending it to the grid. But you’re also importing less from the grid at 35c+ per kWh, so the overall saving is usually higher. See our solar battery storage guide for a full comparison.
A 4 kW system on a 3-bed semi without a battery will typically export around half of what it generates. The rest is used directly by the household.
The Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) Explained
The MSS is the government framework that makes export payments possible. It was introduced by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and is administered by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
Under the MSS, licensed electricity suppliers are required to offer export tariffs to eligible micro-generators. This includes homes and small businesses with renewable generation systems up to 50 kW (most residential solar systems are 2 to 6 kW).
How to Register
You don’t need to apply separately for the MSS. Here’s how the process works in practice:
- Get solar panels installed. Your installer handles the technical setup and the NC6 grid connection form (submitted to ESB Networks on your behalf).
- ESB Networks processes the connection. They may need to install or upgrade your meter to a smart meter.
- Contact your electricity supplier. Tell them you have a micro-generation system and want to register for export payments. Some suppliers handle this automatically when ESB Networks notifies them of the new connection.
- Start earning. Once registered, your exported electricity is metered and credited on your bills.
The NC6 form is a standard document that your installer fills in. It notifies ESB Networks that a generation system is connected to the grid at your property. You shouldn’t need to deal with this directly.
Which Suppliers Offer Export Payments?
All licensed electricity suppliers in Ireland are required to offer an export tariff under the MSS. The main suppliers offering export payments include:
- Electric Ireland
- SSE Airtricity
- Energia
- Bord Gais Energy
- Pinergy
Export rates vary between suppliers and can change over time. As of early 2026, most offer around 18 to 21c per kWh, but you should check current rates directly with your supplier. Some offer slightly higher rates as part of specific tariff bundles.
It’s worth shopping around. You’re not locked into your current supplier for export payments, and switching supplier works the same as it does for standard electricity accounts.
Tax Rules on Export Income
Income from selling electricity back to the grid is subject to income tax, but there is a tax-free allowance.
The first €400 per year in micro-generation export income is tax-free. This threshold was increased from €200 to €400 in a previous budget and has been extended to 2028. Any export income above €400 is taxable at your marginal rate.
For most households with a standard 4 kW system, annual export income typically falls within the tax-free threshold. Larger systems or homes with low daytime usage may exceed it.
You don’t need to do anything special for the tax-free portion. If your export income exceeds the threshold, you should declare it in your annual tax return. Revenue has published guidance on how micro-generation income should be reported.
Smart Meter Requirement
To receive export payments, you need a smart meter. This is because traditional meters only measure electricity flowing in one direction (imports). A smart meter measures both imports and exports.
ESB Networks is responsible for the national smart meter rollout. If you don’t already have one, ESB Networks will install a smart meter at your property free of charge. You can request an installation through ESB Networks directly, or your solar installer can trigger one as part of the NC6 process.
The smart meter records your export data in 30-minute intervals. Your supplier uses this data to calculate your export credits.
If you have solar panels but no smart meter, you’re generating and using solar electricity (which still saves you money), but you’re not being paid for what you export. Getting a smart meter fitted is the missing step.
Maximising Your Return: Export vs Self-Consumption
This is one of the most important things to understand about solar economics in Ireland. Selling electricity back to the grid is good, but using it yourself is better.
Here’s why. You pay around 35c to 40c per kWh when you buy electricity from the grid. You earn 15 to 24c per kWh when you sell it back, depending on your supplier. So every kWh you use directly saves you more than exporting it.
Practical Ways to Use More of Your Own Solar
- Run appliances during the day. Dishwashers, washing machines, and tumble dryers are easy to schedule for midday when solar output peaks.
- Heat water with a solar diverter. An immersion diverter sends surplus electricity to your hot water tank instead of the grid. This is a relatively cheap add-on (€300 to €500 installed) and can save you the cost of heating water with gas or oil.
- Charge an electric vehicle during the day. If you work from home or can charge during daylight hours, this is one of the most valuable uses for solar electricity.
- Install a battery. A battery storage system stores surplus electricity for use in the evening. It reduces your export income but increases your overall savings because you’re avoiding expensive grid imports.
The ideal strategy is to maximise self-consumption first, and then earn export income on whatever is genuinely surplus. A battery helps with this by shifting your solar generation to hours when you actually need it.
For a broader look at the financial case, read our guide on whether solar panels are worth it in Ireland.
How Export Payments Affect Your Payback Period
Export income is one part of the overall financial return from solar panels. To see the full picture, including installation costs, SEAI grants, and total savings, read our solar panel payback period guide.
As a quick example: a 4 kW system costing around €4,200 to €7,200 after the SEAI grant (€6,000 to €9,000 before grant, minus up to €1,800) might save you €600 to €900 per year in total. That includes both electricity bill savings from self-consumption and export income. Typical payback is six to eight years, with the system producing electricity for 25 years or more.
Export income typically accounts for 30 to 50% of the total financial benefit, depending on your usage pattern and whether you have a battery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you get paid for selling electricity back to the grid in Ireland?
Export rates vary by supplier, typically ranging from 15 to 24c per kWh. Check with your provider for the current rate. This compares to the 35c to 40c per kWh you pay for imported electricity.
Do you need planning permission to sell electricity back to the grid?
No. Since October 2022, there is no area limit on residential rooftop solar panel installations for planning exemption purposes. You don’t need any additional permission to export electricity.
Can you make money from solar panels in Ireland?
Solar panels save you money rather than making you money in the traditional sense. You reduce your electricity bills through self-consumption and earn export credits for surplus electricity. A typical 4 kW system saves €600 to €900 per year in total. The system pays for itself in six to eight years and then provides free electricity for another 17+ years.
What happens to exported electricity at night?
Solar panels don’t generate electricity at night, so there’s nothing to export. Your home draws from the grid as normal during dark hours. This is why a battery can be valuable. It stores daytime surplus for evening use, reducing your reliance on expensive grid imports.
Is there a limit on how much you can export?
For residential systems under the MSS, there’s no cap on the amount of electricity you can export. However, your system size effectively limits it. A typical 4 kW residential system generates around 3,400 to 3,800 kWh per year, and you’ll use a significant portion of that yourself.
Do I need to switch energy supplier to get export payments?
No. All licensed suppliers must offer an export tariff. Contact your current supplier to register. That said, export rates do vary between suppliers, so it’s worth comparing if you want to maximise your return.