Alternative Energy
Alternative Energy is an Irish solar PV installer (part of J&R Electrical Group) that designs, installs, and maintains solar panels, battery storage, and EV chargers for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersDromore West, Ireland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Alternative Energy does
Alternative Energy is a privately held solar photovoltaic (PV) installation company operating across the island of Ireland, with a head office in Dromore, Co. Tyrone (Northern Ireland) and a regional office in Sandyford, Dublin. Founded in 2011 and trading as a division of J&R Electrical (N.I.) Ltd within J&R Electrical Group (founded 2004), the company designs, installs, and maintains solar PV systems, battery storage units, and EV chargers for three primary customer segments: residential homeowners, commercial businesses (offices, warehouses, retail, manufacturing, hospitality), and agricultural / farm operators. Core technology is conventional crystalline-silicon PV — solar panels paired with string inverters (DC-to-AC conversion), optional lithium battery storage, and EV charge points — delivered as bespoke roof-mounted or ground-mounted systems tailored to each property's orientation, shading, and load profile. The company offers free site assessments, no-obligation quotes, professional installation, and ongoing maintenance including drone-based thermal imaging inspections.
The business model is predominantly project-based, monetising one-time installation fees for solar PV, battery, and EV charger systems, supplemented by recurring maintenance, repair, and upgrade services, and a smaller transaction-fee stream from assisting customers with grid export programmes (Microgeneration Support Scheme and Clean Export Premium in ROI; Power NI Renewable Generation in NI). Pricing is bespoke per project, with residential systems starting at approximately €5,400 and commercial/agricultural systems quoted individually; multiple government grants (SEAI domestic up to €1,800, SEAI non-domestic up to €162,600, TAMS 3 up to €90,000 for farmers, SEAI EV charger €300) materially shape purchasing economics. Distribution is direct-only: an in-house sales team of five named consultants plus an office manager handle inbound inquiries, field visits, and bespoke quotations, with full island coverage claimed across every county in ROI and NI. Certification breadth (MCS, SEAI, RECC, NICEIC, Safe Electric, CTSI, ISO 9001/14001/45001) is central to grant eligibility and customer trust.
The company is privately held, family/group-controlled via J&R Electrical Group, with no disclosed external institutional funding or public listing. Cumulative operating scale includes 2,000+ completed installations, 8 MWp of installed solar capacity, and approximately 3,200 tonnes of CO2 saved across the installed base, alongside a 114-review Google rating and named reference customers spanning South Eastern Regional College, Kestrel Hydraulics, Construction Fasteners, Ebrington Hotel, Tramore Valley Park, and An Crompan.
Alternative Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alternative Energy
- Legal name
- J&R Electrical (N.I.) Ltd
- Website
- https://alternativeenergy.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alternative Energy is an Irish solar PV installer (part of J&R Electrical Group) that designs, installs, and maintains solar panels, battery storage, and EV chargers for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alternative Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Solar PV Installation Services
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)
- SIC
- Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop) (EUAMABAA), Asset Management & Owner’s Engineering (Lifecycle Strategy, Budgeting, Technical Due Diligence) (EUAMAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Alternative Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dromore West
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Alternative Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Solar PV System Installation: One-time installation fees for bespoke solar PV systems on residential, commercial, and agricultural properties. Pricing varies by system size, roof type, and customer requirements. Quoted per project after free site assessment.
- Solar Battery Storage Installation: One-time installation fees for battery storage systems, either as part of initial solar PV setup or retrofitted to existing systems. Can be bundled with EV chargers.
- Maintenance and Repair Services: Ongoing maintenance services including annual health checks, panel cleaning, professional inspections, drone thermal imaging, and repairs. Regular maintenance recommended every 2 years or after extreme weather. Also services systems installed by other contractors.
- Electricity Export Revenue: Customers can sell excess electricity generated by their solar PV systems back to the grid. In NI via Power NI Renewable Generation tariff. In ROI via Microgeneration Support Scheme and Clean Export Premium through Bord Gáis Energy. Alternative Energy assists customers with the application process.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Residential solar PV systems start from approximately €5,400 to €5,500, with typical payback periods of 4-7 years for domestic installations. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Commercial solar PV systems are quoted per project following site assessment, with SEAI Non-Domestic Grants up to €162,600. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Agricultural solar PV installations eligible for TAMS 3 Grant up to €90,000 in ROI. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | EV charger installation with SEAI grant support of €300 in ROI. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Alternative Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alternative Energy is an Ireland and Northern Ireland-based solar PV installation company operating as a trading name of J&R Electrical (N.I.) Ltd. It designs, supplies, installs, and maintains solar photovoltaic systems, solar battery storage, and EV chargers for domestic, commercial, agricultural, and new-build customers. The company also facilitates export of surplus electricity to the grid under Microgeneration schemes and provides structured maintenance services.
Product overview
Alternative Energy offers a comprehensive suite of solar photovoltaic (PV) services across Ireland, operating as a solar installation company rather than a software product. The core offerings include Domestic Solar PV, Commercial Solar PV, and Agricultural Solar PV systems, with specialized New Build PV installation for construction projects. Add-on modules include Solar Battery Storage systems for energy independence and EV Chargers for electric vehicle charging integrated with solar generation. Supporting services encompass Solar Panel Maintenance with drone-based thermal imaging, and electricity export programs. The company serves residential homes, businesses, offices, warehouses, farms, and agricultural properties across all counties in Ireland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Domestic Solar PV Design, supply, and installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems for residential homeowners in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Systems can be configured to enable export of surplus electricity to the grid.
- Commercial Solar PV Design, supply, and installation of commercial-scale solar PV systems for businesses, retailers, and industrial premises across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
- Agricultural Solar PV Solar PV installations tailored for farms and agricultural premises, enabling farm-scale renewable generation and grid export.
- New Build PV Solar PV system integration for newly constructed residential properties and developments, supporting developers and builders in incorporating renewable energy at construction stage.
- Solar Battery Storage Battery storage solutions that store solar-generated electricity for later use, complementing PV installations across domestic, commercial, and agricultural customers.
- EV Chargers Supply and installation of electric vehicle charging points for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers.
- Solar PV Maintenance Ongoing maintenance and support services for installed solar PV systems to ensure continued performance and reliability.
Quantifiable outcome
- Solar PV systems typically pay back within 4-7 years for domestic installations
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Alternative Energy
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Alternative Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Alternative Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alternative Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sun Stream Energy: Irish-based solar PV installer offering residential and commercial solar installations across Ireland. Directly comparable as a same-market installer with overlapping product set (PV, battery, EV charging) and grant-led GTM.
- MicroGen Solar: Ireland-based solar PV and battery storage installer serving residential and commercial customers. Comparable in geographic focus, product mix, and reliance on SEAI grants, directly competing for the same Irish end customers.
- Solar Electric Ireland: Solar PV installer operating in Ireland with residential and commercial offerings. Directly comparable business model with similar product portfolio and reliance on Irish government incentive schemes.
- Positive Energy: Ireland-based renewable energy installer providing solar PV and battery solutions. Overlaps on customer segments (residential, commercial, agricultural), geography, and product mix, making it a directly competing peer.
- Greener Energy Group: Irish solar PV and energy solutions provider serving residential and commercial customers. Directly comparable with overlapping product range and SEAI-registered installer status targeting the same Irish market.
- Lumen Energy Solutions: Ireland-based solar and battery installer with residential and commercial focus. Comparable as a domestic solar installer competing in the same geographies with the same SEAI-grant-driven proposition.
Broad incumbents
- EDF Renewables UK & Ireland: Major utility-affiliated renewable energy developer and operator with a presence across the UK and Ireland. Overlaps in solar and battery solutions but at materially larger scale and broader portfolio scope than Alternative Energy.
- Solarcentury (Statkraft): Established UK and European solar PV developer and installer, now part of Statkraft. Overlaps in solar installation capability across residential, commercial, and utility-scale, but with a much larger geographic footprint.
- Lightsource bp: Global solar developer and operator with significant UK and Ireland presence. Comparable solar focus but operates at utility-scale IPP level rather than distributed rooftop, representing an adjacent competitive threat to rooftop installers.
- Octopus Energy: UK-headquartered energy retailer that has expanded into solar PV and battery installation (Octopus Solar). Comparable in offering integrated solar-plus-EV-plus-battery solutions to residential customers, but with a much broader energy retail platform.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alternative Energy social profiles
Digital presenceAlternative Energy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Alternative Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alternative Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Alternative Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alternative Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alternative Energy
What does Alternative Energy do?
Alternative Energy is an Ireland and Northern Ireland-based solar PV installation company operating as a trading name of J&R Electrical (N.I.) Ltd. It designs, supplies, installs, and maintains solar photovoltaic systems, solar battery storage, and EV chargers for domestic, commercial, agricultural, and new-build customers. The company also facilitates export of surplus electricity to the grid under Microgeneration schemes and provides structured maintenance services.
Is Alternative Energy a public or private company?
Alternative Energy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Alternative Energy founded?
Alternative Energy was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alternative Energy based?
Alternative Energy is headquartered in Dromore West, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Alternative Energy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Solar PV System Installation is the primary driver. The others are solar Battery Storage Installation, maintenance and Repair Services and electricity Export Revenue.
Who are Alternative Energy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sun Stream Energy, MicroGen Solar, Solar Electric Ireland, Positive Energy, Greener Energy Group and Lumen Energy Solutions. Broad incumbents are EDF Renewables UK & Ireland, Solarcentury (Statkraft), Lightsource bp and Octopus Energy.
Does Alternative Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alternative Energy.
What industry is Alternative Energy in?
Alternative Energy's product category is Solar PV Installation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUACALAJ, Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro), with a secondary code of EUAMABAA, Solar Project Development & IPP (Utility-Scale & Rooftop). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 4991.