How much does a farm solar system cost?

€9,000 to €100,000 before grants and before VAT. An 11 kWp system costs €9,000–€11,000 and a 100 kWp system costs €70,000–€100,000.

How much does solar cost for a dairy farm?

A typical 30 kWp dairy system costs about €27,000 before the grant and about €10,800 after the 60% TAMS 3 grant. It saves €4,000–€6,000 a year.

Can a farmer reclaim the VAT on solar panels?

Yes, if the farm is registered for VAT. VAT at 23% applies to farm installations. The costs on this page are before VAT.

How long does farm solar take to pay back?

4 to 6 years after the TAMS 3 grant for a typical system. Farms that use most of the power themselves, such as dairy, poultry and pig units, pay back fastest.

What are the running costs?

Low. The main one is the inverter, which is usually replaced once after 10 to 15 years at a cost of €1,500 to €3,000. The panels last 25 to 30 years.

Farm solar panel cost in Ireland

Farm solar panels in Ireland cost €9,000 to €100,000 before grants and before VAT. A typical 30 kWp dairy system costs about €27,000, which falls to about €10,800 after the 60% TAMS 3 grant.

Prices last reviewed October 2026

Cost by system size

System size	Cost before grant	Grant	Grant amount	Cost after grant	Generation per year
11 kWp	€9,000–€11,000	TAMS 3 at 60%	€5,400–€6,600	€3,600–€4,400	About 9,500 kWh
30 kWp	€24,000–€30,000	TAMS 3 at 60%	€14,400–€18,000	€9,600–€12,000	About 26,000 kWh
50 kWp	€40,000–€55,000	TAMS 3 at 60%	€24,000–€33,000	€16,000–€22,000	About 43,000 kWh
100 kWp	€70,000–€100,000	SEAI grant, to 6 July 2027	€31,500–€45,000	€38,500–€55,000	About 86,000 kWh

Costs are before VAT. TAMS 3 covers systems up to 62 kWp, so the 100 kWp row uses the SEAI grant at the doubled rate for applications to 6 July 2027.

Cost by farm type

Farm	Typical system	Cost before grant	What uses the power
Dairy	30 to 60 kWp	€27,000–€54,000	Milking machines, bulk tank cooling, water heating, vacuum pumps
Tillage	20 to 40 kWp	€18,000–€36,000	Grain drying, with the peak from August to October
Poultry or pig	50 to 100 kWp	€40,000–€80,000	Ventilation fans, heat lamps, feed augers
Beef or mixed	10 to 30 kWp	€10,000–€27,000	Water pumps, lighting, fencing, scrapers, meal feeders

A system at or under 62 kWp gets 60% of its cost back through TAMS 3. See the grant rules.

Savings and payback

Payback after TAMS 3: 4 to 6 years
Bill saving: 40 to 60% of the farm electricity bill
Saving per year: €4,000–€15,000, depending on farm size
Export income: about 19.5c per kWh for power you do not use

Power used on the farm is worth more than power exported, so a system sized to the farm's daytime use pays back fastest.

VAT and tax

VAT: 23% applies, and a VAT-registered farmer reclaims it
Farm trading as a company: can claim the Accelerated Capital Allowance, writing off 100% of the qualifying cost against profits in year one
Sole traders: check which capital allowances apply with your accountant

Common questions

Pricing solar for your farm?