How Do Solar Panels Impact Your BER Rating?

Getting solar panels installed at your property can have a positive impact on the BER rating of your property. When installing solar panels in Ireland, there are a number of factors to keep in mind that will determine the overall impact your solar panels will have on your BER rating. We will explore these in this short article.

Orientation, Angle and Shading

Solar panels should be orientated to take maximum advantage of the sun's position throughout the day. South facing roofs will deliver the highest amount of electricity generation overall, while a North facing roof is not generally recommended for solar panels. East and west facing panels may also perform well, especially if your roof can accommodate both east and west facing panels.

The angle of the solar panels is also important. Solar panels in Ireland should ideally be installed with a pitch of between 30 - 40 degrees. This will allow the panels to absorb the optimum amount of sunlight.

When planning the installation location of your solar panels you should aim to install in an area with no shading. Shading can occur from nearby vegetation (such as trees), or the chimney on your roof and can significantly reduce the efficiency of your solar panels.

Partial shading on just one or two panels can affect the production of your entire system. If the solar panels in your solar PV system are all connected on a string to one inverter, then they will all produce at the level of the least efficient solar panel. Installing optimisers (microinverters) on each individual panel can help address this issue, and would be highly recommended if any shading was present.

Produce Your Own Energy And Lower Carbon Emissions

Whenever you make any upgrades to your property, it is important to keep accurate records of any energy efficiency upgrades. For example, when installing solar panels, you should keep a record of all documentation received from your installer. This documentation will be required by your BER assessor when completing your BER assessment and will impact the BER rating of the property.

Keep Your Documentation

It is very important to have adequate ventilation in a home to provide adequate ventilation for the removal of moisture, pollutants and the operation of combustion systems. Therefore it is vital for safety reasons, to ensure adequate and controllable ventilation. One way of achieving this is to have internal controllable vent covers which will improve your BER Rating and can be opened and closed as required to allow the free flow of air.

SEAI Solar Panel Grant

The Solar PV Grant is a scheme launched by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in 2018 to encourage homeowners to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their properties. The solar panel grants can help to offset installation costs and once installed, your new solar panels can also positively impact the BER rating of your property.

The amount available under the grant varies depending on the size and type of the system that you are installing. You can check your eligibility for the solar panel grant on the SEAI website here.

If you are applying for the government SEAI solar panel grant, you will need to arrange a BER assessment of your property after the solar panels have been installed. After the assessment has been completed your BER assessor will produce a new BER certificate along with your updated BER rating.


In summary, installing solar panels can positively impact your property's BER rating and lead to long-term savings on your electricity bills.

Are you interested in having Solar Panels installed at your property? Our partners at GetSolarQuotes.ie can help you find the best solar panel prices from trusted solar installers all over Ireland. Click below to get your solar panel quotes today.

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