Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has introduced grants for solar photovoltaic panels on shed roofs for all farms under TAMS II. The maximum payment at the 40% rate will be €6,200 out of a €15,500 investment. This will go up to €9,300 at the young farmer rate of 60%. This grant rate will allow the installation of 6kWp generation capacity (around 20 solar panels) and a battery to store the electricity, according to the Department of Agriculture.
Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has introduced grants for solar photovoltaic panels on shed roofs for all farms under TAMS II.
The maximum payment at the 40% rate will be €6,200 out of a €15,500 investment. This will go up to €9,300 at the young farmer rate of 60%. This grant rate will allow the installation of 6kWp generation capacity (around 20 solar panels) and a battery to store the electricity, according to the Department of Agriculture.
In addition, all lighting funded under TAMS II will now be required to be LED lighting, which uses a fraction of the electricity consumed by conventional lighting.
Total TAMS II funding available for energy efficiency and renewables is €10m, Minister Creed said.
Solar panel installer and chair of the Micro-Renewable Energy Federation Pat Smith told the Irish Farmers Journal that this would cover around 30% of the electricity needs of a 100-cow dairy farm.
He added that the amount provided would actually allow for larger systems at the latest available costs, up to 9kWp capacity and 5kWh battery storage.
TAMS grants were already available for solar panels on pig and poultry farms only, and there have been repeated calls to extend this to other farmers.
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