IN the spring of 2023, the Department of Agriculture announced that its Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) grants were open to the equine sector, for the first time.

Stud farms, training yards and other equine businesses were now able to upgrade their facilities and get a significant portion of the costs paid by the Department, once all the criteria were fulfilled.

Under TAMS, equine premises owners could also apply for up to 60% grant aid when installing solar panels on their stables. Co Laois trainer Kieran Cotter told his story in The Irish Field recently about how he paid out around €25,000 to install solar panels and got 50% of the costs back through TAMS. He says the solar panels have reduced his electricity bills by up to 90% and they are powering his electric car.

There are a lot of solar energy companies operating all over the country and many of them will step you through the grant application process, although it is advisable to use a professional agricultural advisor.

Home option

You have to be a farmer with a minimum of five hectares to apply for TAMS. This restriction could rule out some Curragh trainers, who only own a stableyard and use public gallops.

However, there is a Solar Electricity Grant open to everyone, which will help with the cost of buying and installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for your home. The grant is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

You must apply for the grant and get a grant offer from the SEAI before you get your solar panels and start any work.

You can also get SEAI grants for solar PV for your business or a non-domestic building. This includes public buildings, sports clubs and community organisations.

Most homes need six or seven solar panels on their roof, which is a two-kilowatt (2kw) system.

To qualify for a grant, you must:

  • Be the owner of a home built and occupied before 2021
  • Use new materials and products that were not already covered by another grant scheme
  • Use a registered company from the SEAI’s registered list of companies
  • Have the electrical works completed by a Safe Electric Ireland electrician
  • Apply to ESB Networks to be connected to the electricity distribution system using the ESB Networks NC6 form (pdf). Your registered installer should do this for you before they fit the system
  • Provide a Declaration of Works signed by a registered installer on the SEAI Solar PV Approved Installer list
  • Have a Building Energy Rating (BER) carried out after the work is completed
  • Meet the requirements in the Solar PV Code of Practice

    • What to consider before applying for the Solar Electricity Grant

    You should check if you should insulate your home first and if you’ll need planning permission.

    You do not need planning permission to install solar panels at your home, as long as you meet certain conditions. However, ask your local authority for guidance about planning permission if your home is a protected structure, or if your home is in a protected area, for example, an architectural conservation area.

    Insulating your home before getting solar panels

    SEAI recommends that you insulate your home before considering solar panels, as insulation is the easiest way to reduce your energy costs. You can apply for the following grants with the SEAI to insulate your home and improve its overall energy efficiency:

  • Better Energy Homes Scheme
  • Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme
  • National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme

    • Some of these schemes include the Solar Electricity Grant as one of their energy efficiency measures. However, you may have to apply for it separately.

    Choosing a contractor

    Before choosing a company from the registered list, the SEAI recommend that you get a number of quotes and compare the offers, and request and check the company’s references.

    You must have a contract in place with the contractor to ensure that you have a suitable level of consumer protection. SEAI have a sample contract on their website to help with this.

    How much is the grant?

    The grant you get depends on the peak output of your solar system. Peak output is measured in kWp, which is kilowatt-peak. You get:

  • €800 per kWp for up 2kWp
  • €250 for every additional kWp up to 4kWp

    • In 2024, the grant is capped at €2,100. The Government plans to reduce the grant by up to €300 every year, as it expects the cost of solar panel systems to reduce over time. It is intended that the grant will end in 2029.

    You are only eligible for the grant once.

    How to apply for the Solar Electricity Grant

    You can apply for the Solar PV Scheme online or by post.

    When applying for the grant, you need to provide details about the installation, including the size of the system to be installed. You also need to provide your address and the MPRN number from your electricity bill, the year your house was built and the name of the registered company you intend to use.

    You must receive approval for the grant before you start installing your solar panels. When you receive approval, you have eight months to complete the works. The work must be finished before you can get your grant payment and you must have either paid your contractor or agreed a payment plan with them.

    After the works are completed

    Your installer will give you the documentation you need to claim the grant, including the signed Declaration of Works form. You should keep these documents for your records. Your installer will also complete and upload a number of documents about the work to the SEAI website.

    SEAI will then check if your installation meets the scheme requirements. Once all conditions are met, SEAI will then process your payment, which will be paid into your bank account.

    Where to apply

    Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland,

    SEAI Head Office, 3 Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2

    Tel: 01 8082100

    Web: seai.ie

    Email: info@seai.ie