Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2023
1555. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will clarify the situation regarding TAMS grant aid available for solar panels and his views on whether such panels can be erected on a farm dwellinghouse as well as farm sheds; if battery storage and inverter can be put where the current fuse box is; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12872/23]
View answerTo help encourage on-farm renewable technology uptake and usage, grant aid is provided through TAMS to assist farmers in maximising their contribution to the production of renewable energy through the installation of Solar PV technology along with battery storage on Irish farms.
The purpose of the Tams scheme is to enable farmers to consume solar PV generated electricity onsite to meet their farmyard electricity demand, including the dwelling house. Solar panels granted aided under TAMs shall be erected on farm sheds only; it is not permissible to erect them on the dwelling house. This is a strict condition of grant aid.
The electricity consumption of the dwelling house may be included on the solar survey as part of the holding for sizing the Solar PV installation. The dwelling house must be occupied by the herd owner or family member and situated on the holding. Only one dwelling house can be included on the Solar survey.
The inverter, batteries and all ancillary equipment must be located in a farm shed; it is not permitted to locate any of this equipment in a dwelling house where the fuse box may be located.
