Ireland TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme Scis Guide

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Key Takeaways

• Applications for the TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme (SCIS) are submitted online directly through the farmer's Agfood.ie account.
• When tranches are oversubscribed, applications are ranked via the DAFM marking sheet evaluating age, holding area, enterprise intensity, and land constraints.
• Applicants aged under 41 years receive 20 marks on the age metric, with 0 marks awarded to individuals over 40 years.
• Qualifying holdings must farm a minimum of 5 hectares and score production units at 0.25 marks per unit up to a 25-mark cap.
• Farmland located within Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) earns up to 10 additional ranking marks on a graduated sliding scale.

Online Application Workflow via Agfood.ie and GCPS

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) administers the Solar Capital Investment Scheme through its dedicated portal. As confirmed by official guidance, the tams 3 solar capital investment scheme is now open for applications and applications can be made through your agfood account.

Approved agricultural advisors and individual farm applicants complete the application within the Generic Claims/Payment System (GCPS). Key operational steps include:

• Farmyard Mapping: Applicants must enter the specific equipment identifier as marked on Farmyard Layout Plan showing the location of proposed panels, inverters, and battery enclosures.
• Planning Verification: In the portal architecture, planning permission is at sub-investment level, requiring documentation of Class 18 planning exemptions or formal local authority permission for each sub-investment.
• Draft Validation: The online portal provides a save draft application - saves any/all data input feature, allowing advisors to assemble supporting materials incrementally before using validate application - saves any/all data input and applies checks and rules to ensure that all required questions are completed.
• Offshore Uplift: The Island Rate may be ticked only where relevant, triggering an automated 33% increase in reference cost benchmarks for eligible island holdings.

DAFM Marking Sheet and Ranking Methodology

In tranches where aggregate grant demand exceeds the tranche funding allocation, DAFM applies its statutory marking sheet to rank and approve applications in order of merit:

Detailed Land and Enterprise Assessment

The scoring model prioritises smaller holdings, younger farmers, and commercially active livestock enterprises:

1. Holding Area Weighting: The size metric requires a minimum holding size of 5ha, awarding higher marks to smaller farm enterprises up to the 20-mark cap.
2. Production Units (PUs): Production units quantify stocking rates and horticultural output. Marks are allocated at 0.25 of a mark per production unit to max 25 marks.
3. ANC Sliding Scale: Farms with land situated in designated Areas of Natural Constraints receive graduated marks: less than or equal to 5 ha earns zero marks, rising in 2.5-mark increments up to 10 marks for holdings over 30 hectares.
4. Nitrates Stocking Metric: For intensive enterprises, nitrates production earns +0.01 marks awarded per kg n/ha produced up to a maximum of 1.7 marks.