Great Britain made plug-in solar legal on 27 August 2026. Ireland has not. If you have seen a kit for sale and wondered whether you can plug it in, the honest answer for now is no. Here is why, and what comes next.
Is plug-in solar legal in Ireland?
No. As of 21 October 2026, there is no dedicated legal or registration route for plug-in solar in the Republic of Ireland. Kits are not really available or encouraged here, according to the Dublin Inquirer. Some Irish online shops sell them while saying the framework is not active yet. Selling a kit does not make it legal to plug in.
Why can't you just plug one in?
Any grid-connected generator falls under the standard microgeneration rules. For systems up to 6 kW single-phase, that means an NC6 notification, and your registered installer completes and submits it to ESB Networks before the install. The rules assume a registered electrical contractor does the work. That rules out a do-it-yourself kit. Unregistered generators are not eligible for export payments.
When is plug-in solar coming to Ireland?
No one has given a date. Minister Darragh O'Brien told the Dáil on 25 February 2026 that consultation replies were broadly negative. A working group chaired by ESB Networks first met on 9 June 2026. ESB Networks estimated the changes would take up to 12 months to implement. A Department official said in July that the group would report in September. We found no sign that report is out as of 21 October.
What rules are being proposed?
These are proposals, not law. Emerging ideas told to the Oireachtas committee in July were one unit per dwelling and simple registration at the point of sale, with a gradual rollout because of ageing wiring. A Dáil written answer on 28 July, as reported by plugsolar.ie, said ESB Networks supports small devices up to 800 W AC, with registration and product standards. We could not open that page ourselves, so treat the 800 W figure as reported, not confirmed.
What are the safety worries?
The Dublin Inquirer reports two. AC-type RCDs, the trip switches in many homes, can be blinded by DC. And people may daisy-chain several units on extension leads. Germany banned AC-type RCDs in the 1980s. Ireland has not. These are reasons the group is moving slowly.
Does Lidl sell plug-in solar in Ireland?
We found no sign that Lidl Ireland sells a plug-in kit. We did not check lidl.ie directly. Lidl sells them in Germany, Spain and France. Even if one shows up here, it would not make plug-in use legal.
What can you do instead?
Get a normal rooftop system from a registered installer. The SEAI grant is up to €1,800 (€700 per kWp up to 2 kWp, then €200 per kWp from 2 to 4 kWp). From 6 October 2026, reports say the grant widens to homes built and occupied before 2025, and a new €600 home battery grant starts. Check SEAI for the final terms. Plug-in kits are not the kind of install the grant is built for. Under the Clean Export Guarantee, suppliers pay for each kWh you export, but you need an NC6 registration first. The first €400 a year of microgeneration income is tax-free, and that now runs to the end of 2028.
What about Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is part of the UK but is not covered by Great Britain's new law yet. See our Northern Ireland plug-in solar guide. For the Great Britain rules, start at our UK plug-in solar hub.
The quick version
- Plug-in solar is not legal in the Republic of Ireland as of October 2026.
- You need an NC6 and a registered installer for any grid-connected solar.
- An ESB Networks working group is drafting rules. No start date.
- The SEAI grant is up to €1,800. The first €400 a year of export income is tax-free.