Energy Efficiency - May 2025 Update

Author

Briain Kelly
May 06, 2025

Hello ,

Welcome to the latest newsletter from Energy Efficiency, keeping you informed on the best ways to save money while living a more sustainable life.

Choosing an Electricity Plan with Solar Power

Solar panels can easily save you hundreds of euro on your electricity bills each year, but choosing the right electricity provider and plan will help you get the most out of your solar system.

Best Electricity Plans for Solar Panels

Solar panels are becoming an increasingly popular addition to Irish homes, with the potential to save homeowners hundreds of euros each year on their

energyefficiency.ie/utilities/best-electricity-plans-for-solar

It’s been a good year for electric cars in Ireland in 2025, with new EV sales figures up 25% compared with the previous year.

Volkswagen continues to be the most popular choice for people buying electric cars, while Tesla sales are starting to suffer.

Ranking

EV Brands

EV Models

1.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen ID.4

2.

Kia

Kia EV3

3.

Hyundai

Tesla Model 3

4.

Tesla

Kia EV6

5.

BYD

Hyundai Kona

Getting Paid for Your Unused Solar Power

Homes with solar panels installed likely won’t consume all of the energy they generate at the time, which means some of it will be exported back to the grid.

Understand the different feed-in tariffs offered by electricity providers to get the best deal for your surplus solar.

Feed-in-Tariffs for Solar Power

Homeowners with solar panels can earn some extra money off them by selling any power they generate which goes unused with feed-in tariffs offered by electricity providers.

energyefficiency.ie/solar-panels/feed-in-tariffs

There’s more than one way to insulate an Attic

Insulating your attic should be one of the first upgrades to keep in mind for anyone looking to make their home more energy efficient.

But there are different ways to insulate an attic depending on what the space is going to be used for.

Warm Attic v Cold Attic - Different Ways to Insulate an Attic - Energy Efficiency

Attic insulation is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. There are two main ways to insulate an attic: at the ceiling level or the rafter level.

energyefficiency.ie/blog/warm-attic-v-cold-attic-different-ways-to-insulate-an-attic

Will Electricity prices start to fall this year?

Ireland has among the most expensive electricity in Europe, but there is some reason to hope that prices for households may begin to decline this year.

Wholesale electricity prices, the price paid by your supplier, have been falling since the beginning of the year, but were still more than 50% higher in March than at the same time the previous year.

What this means for consumers is something which remains to be seen.

How Long Do Solar Panels Last?

Solar Panels are a long term investment for your home, with the potential to generate free power for decades to come.

Understand more about the expected lifespan of solar panels, what determines how long they last, and what will happen as they get older.

Solar Panels Lifespan

How long do solar panels last? Install costs are high so it is an important factor when considering the value compared to normal electricity.

energyefficiency.ie/solar-panels/lifespan