Farm energy in changed times

J.O. Farmer · 02-05-2026 02:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437541#Comment_124437541

I would say the opposite, its up to the tradesman to clarify what is included and not included in a quote such as materials or vat.

Bass Reeves · 02-05-2026 03:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437541#Comment_124437541

For an ordinary consumer any quotation they get is legally to include vat as thry cannot claim vat back.

You can argue about an on farm quote if it for household maintenance or repair its should to inc vat.

If you recieve a quote the trades person shoukd clearly quote that the quotation is plus vat as of they gave a written quotation.

The times I had issues was in house repair situations.

straight · 02-05-2026 03:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124436816#Comment_124436816

My contractor had a good lad part time. Had to leave him go because he would only accept cash. Farmers and agri contractors dont have cash. PAYE workers are the one with the cash.

Bass Reeves · 02-05-2026 03:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437760#Comment_124437760

This lad was in the building game doing extensions and had a roofing crew as well. No trades person will work Saturday as its not worth thete while. Say you are on 1k a week taking home nearly 800/ week or 160/ day.

If you work Saturday at time and a half its 300 before tax or 146 for the day.. trafitionall they got a full days pay for an 8-2 shift Saturday but thst would be only worth 96 after tax.

On the new road employees are on a weekly 60 hour contract for the summer, 5 near enough 11 hours days and half day Saturday. But you are either in and accept it or not

Jb1989 · 02-05-2026 03:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437713#Comment_124437713

You've had the issues to prove my point.

You should've asked the simple vat question at quote time, before proceeding to accept or reject.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437590#Comment_124437590

It's up to them yes but it doesn't always happen.

They can include vat price on occasions, and if you give cash, then it's an extra bonus for them or the can accept cheque and still be covered.

If tradesmen haven't clarified vat, then don't whinge at payment time that you did or didn't know about the extra.

Even yesterday on done deal, clarkes valtra in cavan had 2 second tyres at advertised at 350, no mention of vat, I rang them and asked basic info, my 4th question was, is there vat on that? He said yes and went to calculatot to get his 23 percent.

Legals aside, don't assume anything, in business, vat is a big differential difference.

Bass Reeves · 02-05-2026 06:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124437809#Comment_124437809

I got a quote ober the phone, he came out and as I asked did he want a cheque, card or bank transfer.He said it was a cash price he got a choice then of cheque or bank transfer. He was getting thick and I offered to ring the consumer association to clarify.

If you are an ordinary consumer the requirement is for all quotations to include full cost. No if's, I's or but's.

Some trades people and businesses providing services forget this. Its not up to the ordinary individual to clarify anything.

Jb1989 · 02-05-2026 06:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438441#Comment_124438441

Everything is full of ifs, buts and maybes, shouldnt be but is.

Clarification is always warranted.

White Clover · 02-05-2026 08:54PM

Get it in writing. Even a text will do.

straight · 02-05-2026 08:57PM

As we're at it. Every take away in town (and there are alot of them) are cash only. You would often see it with the kerry lads at shows and stuff, they are all cash only. Bad Internet you see 🤣🤣🤣

Bass Reeves · 02-05-2026 09:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124438905#Comment_124438905

You have to indicate that before the service is provided.

A resturant, shop or service privider are entitled to are entitled to indicate thrre payment preference if any but must indicate before the contract takes place. If the contract has taken place the customer can provide payment in there choice.

Iuuse was I ws looking for an invoice, you are entitled a receipt for anything

_Brian · 03-05-2026 12:14PM

back when the shops were trying the min €10 spend on your card I’d gotten €7 petrol in drum for lawnmower.
I had an over and back with cashier as she wanted me to buy and icecream or do lotto to make the €10

in the end I asked her where do I put the petrol back, I don’t want it now and it’s my drum.

She looked at me like I had six heads.

She put through the €7 on the card no bother then.

Dinzee Conlee · 03-05-2026 07:20PM

Am sure this has been answered before, but I can’t remember the answer…

Why is it solar panels on roofs & sheds are being grant aided, but there is no option for small scale solar? I am talking an acre or so?

We hear about companies offering big payments per acre, but it’s for 50+ acre sites…

Why can’t 1 acre plots be implemented? This would also crossover into the additional income thread - if you have a poor south facing site, could solar be a good use for that piece of ground?

Is this something farming organisations should chase, as it could offer options for farmers for smaller parcels of ground…

So, why wouldn’t/couldn't/shouldn’t this work?

emaherx · 03-05-2026 07:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124441487#Comment_124441487

I'd say infrastructure.

solar on sheds is only being grant aided to a size that can be consumed on the farm. It may still push/pull from the grid but it will be sized to work with existing transformers.

A 1 acre plot is big enough to require close proximity to a substation but too small to be building the extra infrastructure especially for it, 50 acres however makes it more viable.

blackdog1 · 03-05-2026 08:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124441531#Comment_124441531

50 acres is too small now they're looking for 120 plus. Got a call from a company and know a place really close that has 60 acres with full planning for solar got but the company walked away.

On farm solar on roofs, they say they want it but unless you've 3 phase you can't really scale up. The Esb is giving most people who aren't 3 phase a 6 kw export limit. This means if your producing 30 kw an hour you have to put in a restrictor that only allows the 6 to be exported the rest just is waste and you wont get paid for it.

Dinzee Conlee · 03-05-2026 08:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124441531#Comment_124441531

is there anything could be done to improve/resolve this do you think?

Water John · 03-05-2026 09:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124441738#Comment_124441738

The DC from the panels has to be changed to 220v AC. The inverter along with the ESB bus bar would rule out anything under 5MW, which is 25 acres. This then is linked to the spare capacity available in any substation on the distribution system. A farmer generally wants to remain classified as a farmer, so the farmer has to have 100 acres to put solar panels on fifty acres. The bigger solar projects would be connected into the national grid at a 110Kv station.

Bass Reeves · 04-05-2026 12:18AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124441487#Comment_124441487

Basically as @emaherx says uts infrastructure. In Belgium at present AFAIK, they are getting rid of FIT. This was even before the big outage in Spain last year. With FIT households and other mini solar projects were not installing batteries. On the low voltage network this creates an imbalance.

Basically they want projects to connect into the high voltage network

Farm energy in changed times

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