Alternative Energy Ireland

What Alternative Energy Ireland does

Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) is a Dublin-based commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) installer founded in 2006 and acquired by Certa Ireland (part of FTSE 100 DCC plc) in 2023. The company designs, sells, and installs rooftop solar PV systems for Irish commercial customers, targeting large enterprises with significant on-site electricity consumption across manufacturing, automotive, retail, hospitality, engineering, and agricultural co-operative segments. Core technology is commodity commercial solar PV paired with cloud-based real-time production and consumption monitoring; AEI's point of differentiation is service packaging rather than hardware innovation.

AEI operates two commercial go-to-market motions: a one-time capex sale of solar PV systems and a recurring "Solar As A Service" subscription model in which AEI retains ownership of the panels and customers pay a fixed monthly fee with no upfront capital outlay. Financing for the subscription model is provided through sister company Wewise, and the offering is distributed in part through Certa's established B2B fuel distribution channel. AEI also offers residential solar PV and grant application assistance (Exceed and Green Plus grants) as ancillary lines.

The company's growth strategy is anchored by Certa/DCC's €50 million five-year investment plan, which targets 50 MW of installed solar capacity across 100 large Irish businesses and is supported by the DCC Energy division's broader capital and operational footprint (DCC plc operates in 22 countries with ~16,000 employees). Founder Stephen Bray continues as Managing Director.

Name

Alternative Energy Ireland

Legal name

Alternative Energy Ireland

Website

https://aeicommercial.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alternative Energy Ireland is a Dublin-based commercial solar PV installer, founded in 2006 and owned by Certa Ireland/DCC plc, offering turnkey rooftop solar systems and a subscription-based Solar As A Service model to large Irish commercial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Solar PV Installation

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA)

Keywords

• Commercial solar PV
• Solar panel installation
• Renewable energy services
• Solar as a service
• Rooftop solar systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Solar Panel Sales and Installation: Direct sales of commercial solar PV systems to businesses, including design, installation, and commissioning. Revenue is generated through one-time installation fees for purchased systems.
2. Solar As A Service (SaaS): Subscription-style model where customers pay a fixed monthly fee for solar power generation without upfront capital investment. AEI retains ownership of the panels and provides ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and financing through sister company Wewise.
3. Grant Facilitation Services: AEI assists customers in claiming relevant grants such as the Exceed grant and Green Plus grant for large projects over €100,000, potentially reducing effective customer cost and facilitating sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alternative Energy Ireland designs, sells, and installs commercial and residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for Irish customers, delivering turnkey solutions that include feasibility study, system design, grant application assistance, installation, and ongoing cloud-based monitoring. The company offers both direct capital purchase and a Solar As A Service subscription model (no upfront cost, fixed monthly fee) financed through sister company Wewise, targeting primarily large and mid-sized commercial businesses with energy-cost reduction and sustainability goals.

Product overview

Alternative Energy Ireland (AEI) operates as a single-product solar installation company offering commercial and residential solar photovoltaic systems. The core offering is Commercial Solar PV panels, complemented by the Solar As A Service financing model (allowing no upfront capital with fixed monthly payments), a residential solar sub-product, and grant assistance services. The company was acquired by Certa Ireland (part of DCC plc) in 2023 and provides end-to-end services from feasibility study through installation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Solar PV
• Solar As A Service
• Residential Solar PV
• Grant Assistance Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Save up to 80% on electrical bills
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WewisecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025Wewise is the sister company providing financing arrangements for the Solar As A Service offering. This partnership enables customers to access solar energy without upfront capital investment, with Wewise funding the installations and AEI managing the operational aspects.
• Certa (DCC Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Certa, a fuel supplier company and part of DCC group, acquired Alternative Energy Ireland in 2023. AEI provides the Solar as a Service offering under Certa's €50 million five-year plan to invest in solar energy projects for Irish businesses. This acquisition integrates AEI's solar expertise with Certa's established commercial energy distribution network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BEC Solar: Irish solar PV installation company offering commercial and residential systems. Directly comparable as a domestic Irish solar installer competing for the same enterprise and mid-market customers as AEI.
• BNRG Renewables: Ireland-based solar PV developer and installer (formed via merger of BNRG and EvoEnergy) operating across commercial and utility-scale projects. Comparable in Irish market focus and full-stack solar project delivery model.
• Activ8 Solar Energies: Irish solar energy provider delivering commercial and residential PV installations with energy monitoring. Comparable in Irish market, commercial customer focus and integrated monitoring offerings.
• Pure Solar: Irish solar PV installer targeting residential and commercial customers with turnkey installation services. Comparable in Irish geography, customer overlap and turnkey solar delivery approach.
• Enerpower: Ireland-based renewable energy installer specialising in solar PV, wind and battery systems for commercial and industrial clients. Comparable in Irish market focus and commercial/industrial customer segment.
• Solar Electric Ireland: Irish commercial and residential solar PV installer offering design, installation and grid connection services. Directly comparable to AEI in geography, customer base (Irish commercial clients) and core offering of rooftop solar PV.

Broad incumbents

• SunPower: Global solar technology and installation company serving residential and commercial customers. Comparable in commercial rooftop PV installations and integrated hardware/software offering, but broader geographic and product portfolio.
• EDF Renewables Ireland: Subsidiary of EDF (major European utility) operating utility-scale and commercial solar in Ireland. Comparable in Irish market presence and commercial solar offerings, but part of a much larger diversified energy group with broader portfolio.
• Tesla Energy: Global solar and storage provider offering commercial and residential PV systems with integrated monitoring. Comparable in commercial rooftop solar delivery and monitoring, but operates at vastly larger scale across multiple geographies.

Regional players

• Hometree Energy: UK residential and commercial solar subscription/installation provider offering a 'solar as a service' style model. Comparable to AEI's subscription financing model but serves UK rather than Irish customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/alternativeenergyireland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alternative-energy-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/alternativeenergyireland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alternative Energy Ireland