Farmers should be paid to provide renewable energy to the national grid, Fine Gael TD David Stanton has said.

He said that TAMS must be altered to allow farmers feed excess energy into the national grid and be reimbursed for it.

"Not only would this increase the country’s supply of renewable energy, but farmers would also be able to tap into an extra income stream by receiving payment for energy they generate," he added.

Current regulations

"According to Minister Charlie McConalogue, under current EU regulations, where a farmer is using CAP funding through TAMS, any energy generated has to be for their own use on the farm and not for generating electricity for payment.

He argued that, as a result, the scheme remains "limited", as it benefits farmers who use the electricity generated and so is currently mainly used by those who have higher energy needs.

126 applications for solar investments have been received under the scheme

"Since its launch, 126 applications for solar investments have been received under the scheme.

"By exploring further opportunities within the scheme, I think we can encourage a far higher number of applicants," he said.

Deputy Stanton said that in a recent response to a parliamentary question, Minister McConalogue stated that Minister Eamon Ryan came forward with a proposal at the start of this year to ensure that feed-in electricity being generated on farms or elsewhere could be paid for.

"Minister McConalogue also stated that TAMS funding cannot be used for energy generation.

Remuneration

"Under the EU Renewable Energy Directive II, consumers have the right to receive remuneration for energy they generate," he said.

Given the war in Ukraine, Deputy Stanton emphasised that Ireland is facing a "volatile energy situation", adding that we need as many incentives as possible to encourage further development in this area.

"While Minister McConalogue agreed that it makes sense to reward and incentivise farmers to feed into the grid and further develop the potential of their farms to contribute to energy supply, there remains a challenge with how this would be incorporated under the current terms of the TAMS.

"I know that the Government is dedicated to delivering the capacity to pay farmers to generate electricity, and I welcome Minister McConalogue’s commitment to take my proposals into consideration when considering how the farming sector can improve its power generation capacity.

"Expanding the TAMS would financially reward farmers," he concluded.