Irish business power averaged 24.1 euro cents a kilowatt-hour in the first half of 2026, the highest EU average in SEAI's table, and the battery count leaves out the box on site
SEAI published Energy in Ireland 2026 on 22 October. From January to June 2026 the average business electricity price, before VAT, was 24.1 euro cents per kWh. A rank of 1 in that table means the highest price in the EU. At the end of 2025, grid batteries able to export at least 0.2 MW totalled 837.10 MW and 1,202.91 MWh. A battery kept for a site's own use is outside that count.
A business in Ireland buying grid power in the first half of 2026 can point at a published average. The average is not every site. The smallest band paid more, and that band went up. The battery total in the same publication leaves out a battery that stays on the site.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland published Energy in Ireland 2026 on 22 October 2026. The price tables cover January to June 2026. Business prices are before VAT. SEAI says it follows EU Regulation 2016/1952. The price is the money collected for the energy, divided by the energy delivered. A rank of 1 means the highest price.
The weighted average for business electricity was 24.1 euro cents per kilowatt-hour. The 12-month change is minus 2%. The 24-month change is plus 6%. The EU rank is 1. That rank sits on the average. It does not sit on every band.
The bands, as the table prints them. Under 20 megawatt-hours: 35.6 euro cents, up 14% over 12 months, up 10% over 24 months, EU rank 3, and 5.5% of the market in the table. From 20 to 500 megawatt-hours: 30.7 cents, a 12-month change printed as minus 0%, up 1% over 24 months, rank 1, 24.6% of the market. From 500 to 2,000: 26.7 cents, down 3% and up 4%, rank 1, 11.3%. From 2,000 to 20,000: 22.8 cents, down 3% and up 5%, rank 1, 23.1%. From 20,000 to 70,000: 20.6 cents, down 5% and a 24-month change printed as plus 0%, rank 2, 7.2%. From 70,000 to 150,000: 18.0 cents, down 8% and down 8%, rank 1, 8.2%. Over 150,000: 16.5 cents, down 14% and up 1%, rank 2, 20.1%.
The table does not print the words "per year" on those band labels. VAT is off these prices. A household price in the same appendix includes taxes and lives in a different table. 24.1 cents is not a house bill, and 35.6 cents is not the bill of a plant in the largest band.
Solar, in the same publication, for 2025. Ireland generated 1.64 terawatt-hours from solar PV, up 50.4% on 2024. Almost exactly two-thirds, 66.9%, came from utility-scale solar farms. The report says the rise since 2022 also comes from rooftop solar on homes, businesses and farms. It does not split that rooftop remainder between those three. 100 minus 66.9 is 33.1, by our arithmetic. That 33.1 is not a printed share. For the first half of 2026, SEAI's provisional monthly read says utility-scale solar generation was about 35% higher than the first half of 2025. That 35% is utility-scale. It is not the rooftop.
Batteries, at the end of 2025. The count is grid batteries that can export, with a maximum export capacity of at least 0.2 megawatts. About 23 units. Generation capacity, the power they can send out, was 837.10 megawatts. Storage capacity, the energy they can hold, was 1,202.91 megawatt-hours. At the end of 2024 those totals were 753.90 megawatts and 942.91 megawatt-hours.
The report splits the 2025 batteries by storage size. From 1 to 10 megawatt-hours: 47.50 megawatts and 30.46 megawatt-hours. From 10 to 100: 501.40 megawatts and 542.45 megawatt-hours. Over 100: 288.20 megawatts and 630.00 megawatt-hours. The report says batteries in homes or businesses, kept for the site's own use, are not in this dataset.
In 2025 those grid batteries consumed 141.11 gigawatt-hours and generated 85.24 gigawatt-hours. The report prints both numbers. It does not print an efficiency for the batteries.
William Walsh, SEAI's chief executive, said in the 22 October news note: "More renewable energy, a stronger electricity grid, greater energy storage, and more flexibility in how we use energy - these are the actions we can take to protect Ireland's energy security and reduce costs to homes and businesses into the future." The note does not print a cents-per-kilowatt-hour saving for a workplace battery.
Analogy: 24.1 euro cents is the average till receipt for business power, with VAT off. A small site's receipt was 35.6 cents, and it went up. The battery census counts packs that can sell power back to the grid. The cabinet in the switch room that only feeds the site is not on that list.
Good: A public date, a public average with the rank defined, every business band printed, a solar total with the utility-scale share, and a battery total that says who is left out.
Bad: No "per year" on the band labels. No VAT in the business price. No split of the rooftop third between homes, businesses and farms. No efficiency on the grid batteries. No saving figure for a battery on a site.
Ugly: Reading 24.1 cents as the small site, which paid 35.6 and rose 14%. Reading rank 1 as every band. Putting a behind-the-meter battery into the 837.10 megawatts. Reading the 35% first-half rise as rooftop growth. Treating 1.64 terawatt-hours as one factory's output.
Soft next step: match the price band to the site's place in the table, and keep the grid-battery total off a quote for a battery that stays behind the meter. A short consult at Sovryn Energy /consult if you want those lines read against the bill.
Source: SEAI news note, 22 Oct 2026 - Energy in Ireland. Primary for the 22 October publication date and for William Walsh's line on renewable energy, a stronger grid, greater energy storage and flexibility as actions that can protect energy security and reduce costs to homes and businesses. The note does not print a workplace battery saving. SEAI, Energy in Ireland 2026, Part 3, October 2026. Primary for the January to June 2026 business electricity prices before VAT, the method (EU Regulation 2016/1952; revenue collected divided by energy delivered), the rule that a ranking of 1 means the highest price, the weighted average of 24.1 c/kWh (12-month change -2%, 24-month change +6%, EU rank 1), the seven bands (under 20 MWh at 35.6 c/kWh, +14% and +10%, rank 3, 5.5% share; 20 to 500 MWh at 30.7, -0% and +1%, rank 1, 24.6%; 500 to 2,000 MWh at 26.7, -3% and +4%, rank 1, 11.3%; 2,000 to 20,000 MWh at 22.8, -3% and +5%, rank 1, 23.1%; 20,000 to 70,000 MWh at 20.6, -5% and +0%, rank 2, 7.2%; 70,000 to 150,000 MWh at 18.0, -8% and -8%, rank 1, 8.2%; over 150,000 MWh at 16.5, -14% and +1%, rank 2, 20.1%), and the statement that the band labels as printed do not include the words "per year". Also primary for grid batteries at end-2025: about 23 units, export capacity at least 0.2 MW, own-use home and business batteries excluded, generation capacity 837.10 MW and storage capacity 1,202.91 MWh, against 753.90 MW and 942.91 MWh at end-2024, the size split (1 to 10 MWh: 47.50 MW and 30.46 MWh; 10 to 100 MWh: 501.40 MW and 542.45 MWh; over 100 MWh: 288.20 MW and 630.00 MWh), and 2025 consumption of 141.11 GWh with generation of 85.24 GWh. The report does not print a battery efficiency. SEAI, Energy in Ireland 2026, Part 1, October 2026. Primary for 1.64 TWh of solar PV in 2025, up 50.4%, 66.9% from utility-scale solar farms, rooftop solar on homes, businesses and farms left unsplit, and provisional utility-scale solar generation in the first half of 2026 about 35% higher than the first half of 2025. 100 minus 66.9 equals 33.1 is our arithmetic. The report does not print 33.1. SEAI, Energy in Ireland page, last update 22 Oct 2026. Confirms the 22 October update and the same solar and electricity headlines on the landing page.