Not that long ago, many in Ireland thought solar would not work here. People argued there was not enough sunshine, and that the technology was not economically viable.

In the space of just a few years, that argument has completely changed. Under the TAMS 60% Solar Capital Investment Scheme, almost 6,000 applications from farmers have been submitted, with around 3,500 approved so far.

It is now rare to find a farmer who has installed solar PV and regretted it. Arguably, the best time for farmers to install solar PV is now, more than ever before, given where input costs are going.

ADVERTISEMENT

Coincidentally this happens just as the Department of Agriculture has significantly reduced funding and access to the scheme.

From Tranche 10 onwards, a 90% reduction was applied to TAMS solar PV expenditure limits, while ranking and selection criteria were also introduced.

In practice, this removes the viability of sizing farm solar PV systems to include the farmhouse. As a result, lower electricity-demand sectors such as drystock and tillage are effectively excluded from the scheme.

For many farmers, the only remaining option is the lower-value SEAI solar PV grant, which typically supports just 20–30% of costs.

At a time of yet another energy crisis, we are seeing little innovation, few new policies, and no fresh ideas from the government. At a time when the country has significant budget surpluses, the Government’s focus seems to be on saving for a rainy day or investing in major infrastructure projects.

Supporting farmers to invest in renewable energy is infrastructure investment.

We really must question the sincerity of ministers who say farmers must play a central role in the green energy transition, while their respective departments appear to be restricting farmers’ ability to participate.