AN INDUSTRY INSIDER has claimed that current challenges facing those who want to avail of grants for solar panels have held back some businesses and farmers from applying in a recent interview with The Journal. 

 Pat Smith, the chair of the Micro-Renewable Energy Federation, said that securing funding to make the change to solar power is, at present, a “bureaucratic nightmare”. 

 While much of the renewable energy Ireland is planning to produce to meet its climate goals is to come from commercial wind and solar farms, smaller-scale generation on a local and individual level is also expected to play a role. 

Home owners up and down the country have also opted to have solar panels installed, as a greener and cost-effective way of powering their homes. 

The folks over at Bonkers.ie argue that solar panels are highly durable and a good long-term investment, as they will reduce your dependency on the fossil fuel sector, which is liable to price hikes and shortages. 

Solar panels are also being designed in more aesthetically pleasing and innovative ways these days. For example in Pompeii architects have designed them to look like terracotta tiles so they don’t intrude on the historic look and feel of the place. Nifty.   

So, with all that said and done, we want to know, Do you have solar panels, and would you consider getting them in the future? And if you have personally had trouble availing of the grant scheme, tell us about it in the comments.