______________________________________________
For Oral Answer on : 09/03/2023
Question Number(s): 24,22 Question Reference(s): 11581/23, 11580/23
Department: Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
______________________________________________
QUESTION
* To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 662 of 24 January 2023, the number of PV installations in receipt of a TAMS grant subjected to inspection by Department staff which were deemed not fit for purpose following such inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– David Stanton T.D.
For ORAL answer on Thursday, 9 March, 2023.
* To ask the Minister for Agriculture; Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 662 of 24 January 2023, if he is satisfied that all PV installers who are required to sign off on testing and commissioning reports on TAMS grant aided PV installations were registered with his Department when so signing off on such installations; the procedures in place to ensure that all installers were in fact registered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– David Stanton T.D.
For ORAL answer on Thursday, 9 March, 2023.
REPLY
TAMS provides funding for capital investments on farms. TAMS II closed to new applications on16th December 2022, and has provided some €1.2m in grant aid for Solar Investments, with payments still to issue to applicant’s who have not yet completed works and submitted payment claims.
I can confirm that all applicants in receipt of a TAMS grant including a grant for solar PV are subject to a 5% inspection rate. To date, there have been no solar PV installations subjected to such inspections by Department staff deemed not fit for purpose. TAMS applications with solar PV installations carried out by installers that are not on the registered list of approved installers cannot be processed for grant payments. My Department checks both at TAMs application stage and at TAMs payment processing stage that the solar PV installer in question is on my Department’s Solar PV registered list.
All installations must comply with Specification S198 – Minimum Specification for the Installation of Solar PV Systems. The solar PV installer, who must be registered with my Department, is required to sign off on a testing and commissioning report that confirms that the system is ready for electricity generation in a safe manner in line with the latest electrical standards applicable. This along with the provision of an ETCI certificate by a Safe Electric registered electrician ensures that the work is completed to a high standard.
Following the success of TAMS II, I launched TAMS 3 Solar Capital Investment Scheme on 22nd February 2023. This scheme is more aligned to our climate and sustainability needs through continued and enhanced support for renewable energy, low emission slurry spreading equipment and organic farmers.
In order to encourage the purchase of solar investments thereby reducing dependence on fossil energy by farmers, the solar scheme will be ring fenced with its own investment ceiling of €90,000 and will be grant aided at the enhanced rate of 60%.
Energy self-sufficiency be that nationally or at farm level is where we want to get and I know the new solar ambition in TAMS will help us reach that ambition.
