By Joe Griffin
Share this article
Following the rejection of “hundreds” of farmers’ applications for solar PV grants under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), the government is being urged to provide an alternative option.
Local Power Ltd. is calling on the government to “urgently enhance” the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) non-domestic solar grant scheme.
The renewable energy company said that the scheme offers farmers and small businesses “a faster route to cutting energy costs and advancing Ireland’s renewable energy future”.
Pat Smith, managing director of the Co. Meath-based company welcomed Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s commitment in the Dáil to examine how solar and battery installations on farms can be better supported.
On Tuesday (May 19), the Taoiseach discussed “the significant take-up of TAMS by farmers in respect of solar”.
The Taoiseach said: “More than 20% of the expenditure overall, out of €160 million, has been on the Solar Capital Investment Scheme. That shows there is a real hunger there among farmers.
“The more renewables we can install, we can reduce costs for users of energy and that is something we have to do at pace. 
“TAMS is a good potential vehicle for solar but, that said, there are limits under the existing scheme because of the fact that 64,000 applications have been received to date.”
The Taoiseach also noted that the Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Environment Martin Heydon is discussing the matter with Minister of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien.
According to Local Power, “hundreds of Irish farmers who recently applied for solar PV supports under TAMS have been left without grant support following the introduction of new selection and ranking criteria”.
An “immediate and practical remedy” to this shortfall is available, the company said.
Smith added: “The quickest and most logical way to rectify the rejection of so many farmer grant applications for solar PV under TAMS is to increase the SEAI non-domestic solar PV grants for farmers to a minimum of €400/kWp (kilowatt peak) for solar systems up to 75 kWp.”
Kilowatt peak refers the maximum wattage electricity solar panels can produce in ideal sunlight conditions.
Smith said: “Government should also incentivise battery storage with a grant of €200/kWh (kilowatts per hour) for systems up to 75 kWh, and €100/kWh for systems above that threshold, for farms and SME (small and medium enterprise) businesses. 
“This enhanced SEAI non-domestic grant would go a long way towards filling the vacuum left by the loss of TAMS support for solar PV.”
Smith said that a further advantage of the SEAI route is its “straightforward application and approval process”.
According to Local Power, an enhanced SEAI scheme would allow farmers and SMEs to “get on with reducing their energy bills without unnecessary bureaucratic delays”.
It added that micro-generated renewable energy “has a vital role to play in Ireland’s wider energy transition”.
The company said: “When farmers and small businesses generate their own clean electricity, the benefits extend far beyond the farm gate: reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels; lower pressure on the national grid; and a genuinely distributed renewable energy network that complements large-scale generation.”
It added that the proposed changes to the SEAI non-domestic grant would also provide “meaningful relief” to SMEs across Ireland, “many of which are under severe pressure from rising energy costs”.
Share this article
Tillage
Agri-Business
Sponsored
N.Ireland
Schemes
Rural Life
Tillage
Farm Safety
Dairy
an Agriland Media company
Stay on top of your news on the go.
Download the Agriland app today.
© 2026 Agriland Media Ltd.

source