GRANT aid of up to 60% for a range of renewable energy systems is now available through TAMS III.

Farmers, including equine, will be eligible for an increased rate of 60% for installing solar PV systems under the Solar Capital Investment Scheme, which is a new category. The scheme is specifically for solar PV and has a separate investment ceiling of €90,000, so it won’t affect the investment ceiling for other times that farmers may want to invest in. Solar rechargeable batteries will also be eligible for grant aid.

According to renewables editor Stephen Robb of The Farmers Journal, “With the increased grant aid rate and the current high electricity prices, the payback period for PV systems will significantly decrease. Farmers will be required to submit an on-farm solar PV survey along with a TAMS application, which ensures that the size of the solar panels match the farmer’s demand.

“The farm’s household energy use can also be included in this survey. Therefore, only small amounts of surplus electricity will be available for export to the grid, similar to TAMS II.”

As well as solar panels, solar powered electric fencers and water pumps are also eligible for grant aid.