LATEST: Tipperary farmers urged to adopt solar energy to future-proof their farms

Tipperary dairy farmers are being encouraged to go solar to start saving money on their electricity bills and to future-proof their farms. Milking parlours, refrigeration, lighting, and machinery mean dairy farmers face particularly high electricity bills.

But a switch to solar can help farmers reduce energy costs by saving up to €200,000 across the lifetime of a typical installation. In addition to the very attractive savings, the TAMs grant will cover 60% of the installation cost, and farmers can benefit from a 100% tax write-off in the first year.

Once the system is up and running, not only will it cut electricity costs, boost energy independence, and lower carbon footprint – it will increase the value of the business, and farmers can make money by selling excess power back to the grid.

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ICMSA President, Denis Drennan recently had solar installed at his farm and he’s already reaping the benefits.

“It really is a no-brainer for farmers, especially with the TAMs grant which means 60% of the install cost is covered.
I started saving money from day one. I’ve seen a dramatic decrease in my electricity bills already and it’s getting to the stage that, with optimisation of my system, I don’t even know if I’ll have any bills going forward. It’s all
about long term sustainability for us.”

Mr Drennan was speaking at the launch of renewable energy solutions company, Ohk Energy as the exclusive energy partner of the ICMSA’s 15,000 members across the country.

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Gearoid Whelan, CRO at Ohk Energy said: “From reducing carbon footprints and saving money on utility bills to increasing property values and achieving energy independence, the appeal of solar panels is undeniable.

"We at Ohk Energy know that two things every dairy farmer need is more certainty and control, and that’s certainly what solar panels provide. If you’re generating your own electricity on-site, you’re less affected by wholesale price spikes and, with potential off-grid solutions available, can be less affected by grid instability.

“On top of that, there’s the grants and the 100% tax write-off in the first year. We know investments like this can be intimidating but that’s why we take all the hassle out of it for you. We’ll come to your farm, do a site assessment, and design a tailor-made system made especially for you and your specific needs. We even handle the grants application.”

Stressing that Ohk did not subscribe to the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, Mr Whelan said Ohk consciously adopted a personal service model that emphasised the individual aspects of each customers.

The ICMSA also stressed the importance of leaving inspection of shed roofs and maintenance of panels to the experts.

While highlighting the many benefits of solar installations on farms, Mr Drennan warned farmers to be conscious that this is technical and specialised work and should only be undertaken by registered and insured specialists.

He added: “We have been very focused on identifying an excellent company that has the size and commitment to match our membership, and the required health and safety protocols, and we are satisfied that Ohk meets all the standards that we set out as required to be selected as ICMSA’s energy partner.

“We are encouraging our members to make contact with them, arrange a consultation and should they decide to proceed, avail of the special ICMSA members’ discount. Farmers are embracing climate change measures and solar is playing a role and ICMSA is confident that our partnership with Ohk will provide a very strong product offering delivering to the highest standards of safety.”