Farmers interested in installing solar panels and battery systems are being advised to apply to the Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland (SEAI) rather than to TAMS for grant aid.
Installers of solar systems claimed that the decision by the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon to introduce ranking and selection criteria for TAMS tranches nine and 10 had left the sector in a “total mess”.
The adoption of ranking and selection criteria means just 25%, at best, of applications for solar grants under TAMS are now successful.
“It’s a poor indictment on the Department of Agriculture, but we’re now advising farmers to apply for grants from the SEAI grants rather than TAMS,” said Ronan Lang of Atlantic Energy Consultants.
Atlantic Energy Consultants – which is based in Belmullet, Co Mayo, but operate nationwide – wrote to the Department recently to express the firm’s frustration over the introduction of ranking and selection criteria, and the retrospective application of these changes. At the time many applications were lodged no reference was made to a capped or restricted approval rate of 25%, the company pointed out in its letter.
“Applicants proceeded on the reasonable and legitimate expectation that their applications would be assessed under the published scheme criteria then in force,” the company stated.
Farmers made substantial financial commitments in the application process, including the payment of deposits to solar installation companies, professional fees for planners, engineers, and consultants, as well as the cost of preparing detailed farmyard layouts, electrical layouts, and planning exemption reports, Lang explained.
Atlantic Energy Consultants said the Department should reverse or reconsider the introduction of TAMS ranking criteria, or at least assess all eligible solar applications already submitted under the original approval framework.
TAMS grants of 60% are available under Solar Capital Investment Scheme, up to a ceiling of €90,000, for those who manage to secure them.
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