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Pinergy for Solar Panel Owners

Written by John RooneySolar Energy Editor

Pinergy pays 18.5 c/kWh under the Clean Export Guarantee, credited monthly to your bill. It reduced this rate from a market-leading 25 c/kWh on 1 August 2026, so it now sits mid-table alongside Bord Gáis, Energia and Flogas rather than at the top. Pinergy is a smaller supplier (~80,000 customers) and the published rate can change with 30 days notice, so check the live rate before switching. The monthly payment cadence remains its main draw.

CEG: 18.50 c/kWh
Monthly bill credit
~80,000

Last verified 12 September 2026

Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy

Quick Answer

Pinergy pays 18.50 c/kWh for exported solar electricity under the Clean Export Guarantee, monthly bill credit. Reduced from 25 c/kWh to 18.5 c/kWh ex-VAT effective 1 August 2026, bringing it into line with the mid-market. Monthly bill credit. For a typical 4.4 kWp Irish home exporting around 2,000 kWh per year, that's about €370 in annual export earnings.

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Pinergy Microgen / CEG Plan

CEG rate18.50 c/kWh (inc VAT)
Payment frequencyMonthly bill credit
Smart meter requiredYes, for measured exports
Cap on exports paidNone published
Contract terms30 days notice on rate changes
Parent companyPinergy (Irish-owned, founded 2013)

Reduced from 25 c/kWh to 18.5 c/kWh ex-VAT effective 1 August 2026, bringing it into line with the mid-market. Monthly bill credit.

Pinergy Rates & Prices for Solar Homes

Your solar export earnings only tell half the story. What you pay to import electricity at night and on dull days matters just as much. Here is what Pinergy charges a new customer on a standard 24-hour urban meter, alongside an estimated annual bill at typical usage (4,200 kWh).

Import unit rate37.59 c/kWh (inc VAT)
PlanSummer PAYG Plan 24h (10% discount, €110 welcome credit)
Standing charge€283.47/year
Est. annual bill€1862 at 4,200 kWh/yr

New-customer discounted rate, standard 24-hour urban meter, inc 9% VAT. Import rates verified 12 September 2026.

Pinergy price changes 2026

Every announced change we have verified on the supplier's own site, newest first, with the date it takes effect. The rates on this page were last verified on 12 Sep 2026 and show the current price until each change lands.

  1. All suppliers

    CRU-approved 2026/27 network charges add about €41.25 a year (€3.44 a month) to a typical domestic electricity bill after the regulator trimmed network revenue allowances by €138 million. Every supplier passes these charges through. source

  2. All suppliers

    PSO levy cut by 66% for the 2026/27 levy year, to €0.51 a month for domestic customers (€6.12 a year ex-VAT, €6.67 inc VAT, down from €19.10). It is charged by every supplier, so it lowers every bill by the same amount. source

  3. Pinergy

    Pinergy says a typical bill rises 7.6%. The 24-hour standard rate goes from 41.77c to 45.80c/kWh (up 9.6% on the unit rate) with the standing charge unchanged. The pay-as-you-go plan we track is priced at 10% off that standard rate. source

  4. Pinergy

    Clean Export Guarantee cut from 25c to 18.5c/kWh, and the EV night rate rose from 5.99c to 10.89c/kWh. source

Full details of each rise, with before-and-after rates, are on the electricity price increases page. The underlying market is tracked daily on the wholesale electricity prices page. No universal energy credit is planned for Budget 2027 on 6 October: see what support exists instead.

What Pinergy CEG Is Worth to You

Annual export earnings depend on system size and how much of your generation you self-consume.

System sizeTypical annual exportPinergy earnings
2.6 kWp (6 panels)1,200 kWh222
3.5 kWp (8 panels)1,600 kWh296
4.4 kWp (10 panels)2,000 kWh370
5.3 kWp (12 panels)2,400 kWh444
5.3 kWp + battery1,400 kWh259

How CEG Payments Work with Pinergy

  1. Your installer notifies ESB Networks (NC6 form) to register your inverter as a microgenerator. Pinergy cannot pay CEG until ESBN approves this.
  2. You register with Pinergy via their app, account portal or customer service, including MPRN, NC6 confirmation and IBAN.
  3. Your smart meter records imports and exports half-hourly, with readings flowing to Pinergy automatically.
  4. CEG payment lands monthly bill credit as a bill credit (or cash payout where supported).
  5. Subsequent payments are automatic unless you change supplier or move house.

Switching to or from Pinergy

Switching to Pinergy

  • Sign up online or by phone, switch completes in 2–14 days
  • Re-register your microgenerator (NC6 + MPRN)
  • First CEG credit lands at the next billing cycle
  • Existing exports during the switch are paid by your old supplier

Switching away from Pinergy

  • Check for early-exit fees on your tariff (most CEG plans don't charge)
  • Final bill clears any outstanding CEG credit
  • CEG isn't portable, re-register with new supplier
  • Best time: end of your billing period to capture all earnings

Pinergy vs Other Suppliers for Solar

SupplierCEG RatePaymentCompare
Electric Ireland19.50 c/kWhPer billing cyclePinergy vs Electric Ireland
Bord Gáis Energy18.50 c/kWhQuarterly bill credit (after 3-month wait)Pinergy vs Bord Gáis Energy
SSE Airtricity19.50 c/kWhQuarterly bill creditPinergy vs SSE Airtricity
Energia18.50 c/kWhBi-monthly bill creditPinergy vs Energia

See the full ranking on our CEG rate comparison page, or compare on price and service in our guide to the best electricity provider in Ireland.

Pinergy Review: Is It Good for Solar?

Pinergy built its brand around solar and smart-meter tariffs, and its monthly CEG credit is still the fastest-paying setup we track. Its export rate dropped from a market-leading 25 c/kWh to 18.5 c/kWh on 1 August 2026, so it now sits mid-table alongside Bord Gáis, Energia and Flogas rather than at the top. Paired with one of the steeper import unit rates, the case for Pinergy now rests on the monthly credit cadence rather than a headline export rate.

Pinergy ranks 3rd of 9 on export rate. Whether it suits you depends on your full bill, not just the export rate, so we weigh import prices, standing charge, payment speed and any restrictions below.

Pros

  • Pays 18.50 c/kWh for exported solar, one of the higher CEG rates on the Irish market (ranked 3rd of 9).
  • Import unit rate of 37.59 c/kWh is competitive for everyday usage.
  • Pays export credit monthly, the fastest cadence available.
  • No published cap on the volume of exports paid for.

Cons

    Bottom line: Pinergy is a solid choice for solar exporters, particularly if its import rates suit your usage. Always compare against the current market leaders before switching.

    Pinergy Microgen FAQ

    What is the Pinergy CEG rate in 2026?

    Pinergy pays 18.50 c/kWh (inclusive of VAT) for exported solar electricity, monthly bill credit.

    When does Pinergy pay CEG?

    Pinergy pays CEG monthly bill credit as a bill credit on your electricity account.

    Can I switch to Pinergy as a solar owner?

    Yes. Every Irish supplier is required by law to offer a CEG tariff. Switching takes 2–14 days and you don't lose power. You re-register your microgenerator with Pinergy and CEG payments resume from the next billing cycle.

    Does Pinergy cap how many kWh of export it pays for?

    Pinergy: None published.

    What are Pinergy's electricity rates and price per kWh?

    Pinergy's standard residential price is 37.59 c/kWh per unit (inc VAT) on a new-customer 24-hour urban plan, plus a standing charge of €283.47/year. At typical usage of 4,200 kWh a year that works out to an estimated €1862 bill before any solar self-consumption or export credit. Discounted new-customer rates change often, so confirm the live price with Pinergy before switching.

    Who owns Pinergy?

    Pinergy is part of Pinergy (Irish-owned, founded 2013).

    Is the CEG payment taxable?

    Under Section 216D of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (as extended by Finance Act 2025 to 31 December 2028), the first €400 per year of CEG export income is exempt from income tax. Income above that is taxable.

    Is Pinergy the best supplier for solar?

    Pinergy's CEG rate of 18.50 c/kWh ranks 3rd of 9 in the Irish market. The 'best' supplier depends on your overall bill, not just export rate, compare import unit rates, standing charges and any sign-up bonuses on our hub page.

    Sources

    Last verified: 12 September 2026

    Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy

    JR
    John RooneySolar Energy Editor

    John Rooney is the editor of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.

    SEAI data verifiedIndependent research3+ years covering Irish solar

    Compare All CEG Rates

    Switching to the highest-paying supplier is worth €100–€300 a year on a typical 4.4 kWp system. See how every Irish supplier ranks on our full Clean Export Guarantee comparison.

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