The Irish renewable energy market is at an inflection point. With solar capacity just surpassing 2GW and government targets calling for 8GW by 2030, the country needs to quadruple its installed capacity in just five years. That's not just ambitious – it's a massive commercial opportunity for solar installers and energy businesses who can move quickly.
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However the signs are there that this 8GW by 2030 target, is very much achievable, with solar capacity almost doubling every year.

And now, the tools to capture that opportunity are finally here. Orkestra is now localised for the Irish market, bringing the same comprehensive feasibility modelling capabilities that have helped solar businesses across Australia, the UK, and Germany win more C&I projects.
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Irish installers can now model solar and battery projects with pre-loaded ESB Networks tariffs, Irish wholesale market data, native Euro currency support, and the ability to compare hundreds of system configurations to find the optimal solution for each site – all in a platform designed to deliver professional feasibility reports in minutes, not days.
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Our Head of Sales for UK and Ireland, Mark Gardiner, recently attended the Solar + Heat Renewables show in Naas, connecting with installers, developers, and energy companies across Ireland. The energy in the room was palpable – everyone knows something big is happening.

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Why Ireland is Different (And Why That Matters)

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Ireland isn't just another solar market. It's one of the most compelling in Europe for both solar and battery storage, driven by one critical factor: Ireland has the second-highest commercial electricity prices among OECD countries.

Higher electricity prices mean:

• Faster paybacks on solar investments
• Better IRRs for battery storage
• More compelling feasibility studies that close deals

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The Battery Opportunity That Most People Are Missing

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Solar already supplies more than 21% of national electricity demand during summer peaks (ESB). As Ireland races toward that 8GW target, massive amounts of midday solar generation will flood the grid – creating perfect conditions for battery storage.
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The economics are straightforward: midday wholesale prices crater when solar is abundant, while evening prices spike during peak demand. Batteries capture this spread by storing cheap midday power and discharging during expensive peaks.
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Time-of-use tariffs amplify this opportunity. With rates as high as 45c/kWh during peak times and as low as 8c/kWh off-peak, batteries can deliver value through:

• Peak demand reduction – avoiding costly excess capacity charges
• Wholesale arbitrage – buying low, selling high
• Solar optimisation – storing midday generation for evening use
• Grid services – as solar penetration increases

Challenge: Modelling the Feasibility of C&I Batteries

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What we've been hearing from the Irish market: feasibility studies are taking too long and aren't accurate enough.

The problems installers face:

• Spreadsheets can't handle complex battery modelling – they're time-consuming, error-prone, and limited in scenario analysis
• Solar design tools focus on system sizing, not financial assessments – they can't model tariff optimisation, wholesale arbitrage, or battery dispatch strategies
• Manually assessing ESB Networks tariffs is so complex it often gets skipped entirely

When you're competing for commercial deals, speed and accuracy matter. Three days to produce a feasibility study with questionable numbers won't win against competitors delivering comprehensive analysis in hours.

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That's Where Orkestra Comes In

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Orkestra is a purpose-built platform for C&I solar and battery feasibility analysis. Unlike spreadsheets or solar design tools, Orkestra understands that all the elements are critically interrelated – solar size affects battery utilisation, tariff choice affects battery value and dispatch strategy, which then loops back to inform optimal solar and battery sizing.

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Evaluating these elements separately misses how they interact, and that's where most feasibility studies go wrong.

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The platform evaluates hundreds of configurations as complete systems, with tariff optimisation as one of its most powerful capabilities – comparing all possible tariff structures to find which delivers the best value for each solar and battery combination. It streamlines the entire feasibility process from solution evaluation to professional reports, delivering the comprehensive analysis you need to win deals in minutes, not days.

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And now, Orkestra is fully localised for the Irish market:

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ESB Networks Tariff Library

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Every ESB Networks tariff is pre-loaded in Orkestra's library. No manual data entry. No hunting down tariff schedules from ESB's website. Set up your site and Orkestra's tariff optimisation engine can help you compare all potential tariffs – showing you which will deliver the best financial outcome when combined with different system configurations.

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Many businesses are on suboptimal tariffs without realising it. Identifying and switching to the right tariff is often the key to unlocking the full potential value stack of a battery. With Orkestra, you can show clients exactly what they'd save by optimising their tariff alongside their solar and battery installation.

Irish Wholesale Market Data

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Integrated Irish wholesale electricity prices enable accurate battery arbitrage modelling. Show clients exactly how much they'll save charging at 2am and discharging at 6pm. With dynamic tariff due to launch in June 2026, these price signals will be able to be passed directly through to commercial energy users – making accurate wholesale modelling even more valuable.
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Native Euro Currency & Business Modelling

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Model everything in Euros throughout – from quotes to final feasibility reports. And when clients don't have upfront capital, use Orkestra's Business Model Builder to structure PPAs, leases, and shared savings agreements, showing exactly who pays what, how bills are split, and individual ROI for each stakeholder. Essential for closing larger C&I deals where capital is a barrier.

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Professional Reports in Minutes

Generate comprehensive branded and customisable feasibility reports with ease covering:

• NPV and IRR calculations
• Payback analysis
• Energy flow visualisations
• Bill comparisons (before/after)
• Carbon emissions reduction
• Tariff optimisation recommendations

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Deliver comprehensive, accurate and easy to understand feasibility reports while prospects are still engaged - not three days later.

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What This Means for 2026

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Ireland needs to build the energy equivalent of a large conventional power station, purely from the sun, every single year between now and 2030. The commercial opportunities are enormous for solar installers, battery integrators, and energy consultants who can move quickly.

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High electricity prices + ambitious government targets + sophisticated modelling tools = perfect conditions for solar and battery deployment to surge in 2026.

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The question isn't whether Ireland's market will grow. The question is: who's positioned to capture that growth?

Want to see how Orkestra can help you model Irish C&I solar and battery projects? Get in touch and we’ll walk you through it.

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