For the first time, Irish homeowners can claim an SEAI grant for new windows and doors on their own, without committing to a full deep retrofit. It is one of the most useful changes in the 2026 grant package, and it sits alongside a couple of solar updates worth knowing about. Here is what is on offer and, just as importantly, how to claim it without getting caught out.
The new windows and doors grants
From 2 March 2026, windows and doors became standalone Individual Energy Upgrade grants. Until this year, help with windows was only available as part of a full deep retrofit through the One Stop Shop. Now you can do them on their own:
- Windows: up to €4,000 for a detached home, €3,000 for a semi-detached, €1,800 for a mid-terrace and €1,500 for an apartment.
- External doors: €800 each, up to two doors (€1,600 in total).
- The work has to be carried out by an SEAI-registered installer to a high-performance standard.
- Draughty old windows are one of the biggest sources of heat loss in an older home, so for many houses this is among the most cost-effective upgrades you can make.
Solar and a home battery: cheaper to pair this year
With the long June evenings, solar panels are generating at their best right now. Two things are worth knowing for 2026:
- The solar PV grant stays at up to €1,800, unchanged for 2026.
- Home battery storage paired with solar now carries 0 percent VAT, which cuts the upfront cost compared with last year. A battery stores the electricity your panels make during the day so you can use it in the evening, instead of exporting it cheaply.
- You are still paid for any surplus you export to the grid under the Clean Export Guarantee.
A panels-plus-battery setup is the closest most homes get to insulating themselves from future price rises.
How to claim without getting caught out
A few homeowners lose their grant on a technicality every year. The rules are simple if you take them in order:
- Apply to SEAI and get approval before any work starts or you pay a deposit. Grants are not paid out if the job begins first.
- Use an SEAI-registered contractor. Only registered installers qualify, so confirm the registration before you book.
- A registered BER assessor confirms the improvement after the work, and SEAI helps with the cost of that assessment.
- Check your home qualifies on seai.ie before committing. Most grants require the home to have been built and occupied before a set date.
- The grant is paid after the work is done and inspected, so plan to pay up front and claim it back.
Light the garden, not the bill
Since we are on the subject of energy, here is a summer one: solar outdoor lights run on nothing but daylight. No wiring, no running cost, and they switch themselves on at dusk. With the long evenings, festoon strings and solar wall lights are the easy win for patios, paths and sheds. Everything is in stock and we deliver free from the first euro, so even a small order is worth placing.
About Shamrock Electrical Supplies
Shamrock Electrical Supplies is an electrical retailer and wholesaler based in Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. We supply homeowners and professional contractors across Ireland, with free delivery from the first euro.
Find Us
Shamrock Electrical Supplies
Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road
Greenogue Business Park
Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98
Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday: 7am to 5:30pm
Friday: 7am to 5pm
Saturday: 9am to 1:30pm
Sunday: Closed