Introduction Investing in a Solar PV system isn’t just about going green—it’s about making a smart financial decision. But how much does a system really cost, and what kind of return can you expect? In this post, we break down system pricing, influencing factors, grants, and what ROI looks like for both residential and commercial customers.
Here’s what you need to know.
Typical System Costs
Residential Installations:
- Entry-Level (No Battery): €9,000–€10,000 for approx. 16 panels (6.5–7kWp)
- Mid-Level (With Battery): €14,000–€16,000 for 16–20 panels + 1 battery
- Advanced (Hybrid + Batteries): €18,000–€20,000+ for 24 panels + 2–3 batteries
Commercial Installations:
- Highly variable depending on size, roof structure, and load requirement
- Approx. €35,000–€60,000 for 30–50kWp systems
- Large-scale 100kWp+ systems can cost €100,000–€160,000+ (grant offset available)
What Affects Cost?
- Roof Type: Slate or corrugated roofs cost more than tile
- Mounting Structure: Ballast systems for flat roofs or ground mounts
- Cable Lengths: Longer runs = higher costs
- Inverter Type: Standard vs. Hybrid (battery-ready)
- Battery Storage: Adds cost, but improves usage efficiency
- Electrical Work: Fuseboard upgrades or attic access
Grants & Incentives
- SEAI Residential Grant: €1800 grant towards system of 4KWp (9-10 Solar Panels)
- SEAI NDMG (Non-Domestic): Substantial grants from 4 – 1000KWp. (€2400 to €162,000).
- TAMS 3 Grant (Farmers): Up to 60% funding (eligibility rules apply)
- VAT Savings: Existing homes get 0% ZERO VAT exemption
These grants significantly reduce the upfront cost and improve ROI.
Return on Investment (ROI)
- Residential: 4–5 years typical payback, depending on usage and battery
- Commercial: 3.5–4.5 years payback, due to higher usage and offset
- Key Variables:
- Day vs. night energy usage
- Tariff optimisation (Day/Night or Dynamic rates)
- Smart metering + export payments
- System sizing relative to consumption
We always design to maximise self-consumption first, then export excess.
Value Over Time
- System Lifespan:
- Panels: 30+ years (performance warranty)
- Inverters: 10+ years
- Batteries: 10+ years or 10,000 cycles
- Ongoing Savings:
- Reduce or eliminate daytime electricity bills
- Reduce water heating bills (Diversion)
- Sell excess to the grid
- Protect against future energy price hikes
- Added Property Value:
- A well-installed solar system can increase home resale value and BER rating
- Convenience:
- Sigenergy Gateway enables a home or business to function during power outages
- Sigenergy Gateway enables battery charging from solar during the outage period
*NOTE: The Primary system offered is typically SIGENERGY.
Every system proposal includes the Sigenergy GATEWAY. The advantages the Gateway are absolutely relevant to todays – frequent grid outages and spiralling energy costs. They enable your home or business to function during off grid periods. Limitation is based on your system size and energy use, which can be managed using the Sigen app.
Real-World Example (Residential)
- System: 6.8kWp, Hybrid inverter, 1 battery, 18 panels
- Cost: €15,200 (after €2,100 SEAI grant)
- Usage: 70% self-consumption
- Yearly saving: Approx. €2,000
- Payback: 5–6 years
Conclusion
While the initial solar PV requires a significant investment, the long-term gains are substantially rewarding—both financially and environmentally.
The larger the system, the bigger the reward with the system continuing to provide value annually after the initial payoff. With proper design and support from Moontree Solar, your system will pay for itself and continue to perform for decades.
Cutting costs by disregarding batterys will provide a faster return on the initial investment, but is a poor financial decision for the long term. The battery stores energy generated from solar when not used and will provides more value to your home stored than exporting to the grid for half the cost…over a 10-15 year period that will hurt significantly!
Gateway costs are at the lowest we can achieve. We believe in providing the best value for our customers and these are offered to do just that. When a power outage occurs, your system will continue to generate solar energy and charge your batterys and provide energy for home consumption..This solution is unique to Sigenergy, no other brand has this offering. This is a seamless automatic switchover that is unnoticeable.
Without the Gateway, your system is dead in the water until grid power returns.
Want a tailored quote with ROI projection? Contact our team and we’ll design a solution that fits your needs and budget.
