Ireland TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme Compliance Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Under DAFM terms, the Department reserves the right to carry out on-farm compliance inspections with or without prior notice at any reasonable time.
• All solar installations must be sized strictly against prior annual consumption verified through an On-Farm Solar PV Survey and prior-year ESB Networks MPRN statement.
• Solar hardware must comply with DAFM S198 specifications, including EN 61215 and EN 61730 European module standards.
• Grant-aided solar arrays cannot be installed on a domestic dwelling house and must be erected exclusively on farm buildings or ground mount structures.
• If expanding solar beyond TAMS limits using non-TAMS funding, the TAMS array must operate as an isolated and discrete system.

DAFM S198 Technical Specifications and Quality Standards

Agricultural solar installations funded under the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3) Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) must satisfy rigorous engineering requirements. Teagasc and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) mandate strict compliance with DAFM S198 - minimum specification for the installation of solar PV systems.

Under specification S198, equipment selection is governed by international durability standards:

• Module Durability: PV modules must comply with EN 61215 and EN 61730 standards, ensuring structural resilience against environmental stress, mechanical loading, and hail impact.
• Triple E Product Listing: Solar panels must be listed on the Triple E Products Register, maintained by SEAI, which validates that equipment sits within the top-tier efficiency bracket.
• Electrical Safety: All AC and DC installation works must be executed and certified by a registered electrical contractor in accordance with national wiring rules.

Sizing Verification: The On-Farm Solar PV Survey

To ensure grant aid supports self-consumption rather than commercial electricity export, DAFM restricts system sizing directly to the agricultural holding's electrical demand:

1. Documentary Proof: Applicants must submit an on farm solar pv survey (supplementary application information) including an esb networks account statement for the mprn for the previous calendar year (i.e. prior to year of tams application) and the latest available electricity bill at the time of application to quantify the holdings electricity power requirement.
2. Maximum Generation Ceiling: Across all farm holdings, the maximum size of pv panels eligible for grant aid is 62kwp.
3. MPRN Allocation Rules: Only one mprn per application is permitted. a separate application is required for a second mprn.
4. Dwelling Allocation: While the electrical survey can factor in the energy consumption of one residential dwelling located on the farm for sizing calculations, TAMS grant-aided solar PV panels cannot be installed on the dwelling house itself -only on farm buildings (roof, wall, or ground-mounted).

Battery Storage and Discrete System Separation

For farms seeking energy resilience, TAMS 3 SCIS supports battery storage alongside solar PV under defined compliance boundaries:

• Battery Sizing Cap: Rechargeable batteries (kwh) will be funded at a maximum of 50% of the solar pv system size (e.g: if the solar panel system has a maximum output rating of 20kwp the maximum eligible battery size is 10kwh).
• Mandatory Pairing: Rechargeable batteries are not eligible without solar panels being applied for and installed; standalone battery additions do not qualify for grant aid.
• Non-TAMS Expansion Rules: If a farm business installs additional solar generation using other supports (such as SEAI non-domestic grants) or private capital, the applicant must ensure that the tams 3 unit must be a n isolated and discrete system from the other system for which this additional support is being sought.

Department Compliance Audits and Inspection Protocols

Receipt of grant aid under TAMS 3 requires compliance with statutory auditing standards:

• Right of Inspection: Regarding compliance inspection the department reserves the right to carry out inspections at any time on eligibility for the scheme and on approved works and any supporting documents.
• Unannounced Entry: By signing the application, applicants agree to permit officials of the department to carry out on farm inspections with or without prior notice at any reasonable time(s) and without prejudice.
• Verification Scope: Inspectors assess physical mounting adherence, inverter location, electrical safety labelling, meter connection compliance, and verification that equipment serial numbers match submitted grant claim documentation.