Farming photovoltaics

Farming photovoltaics

Solar Photovoltaics for Farmers

 

Within the framework of Action 4.1.2 of the Ministry of Rural Development, which concerns the Farmers’ Improvement Plans, investments are subsidized in the land improvements that concern, among others, drillings, tanks, equipment for the reduction of the environmental footprint of irrigation through photovoltaic systems, integrated concerning precision agriculture etc.

The following categories of investments are subsidized:

  • Photovoltaic connected with fixed bases 1,100 € / kW
  • Autonomous photovoltaic with fixed bases 2,800 € / kW
  • Photovoltaic connected to the grid with trackers (trackers) 1,250 € / kW
  • Autonomous photovoltaic with trackers 3,100 € / kW
  • Portable autonomous device of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries 500 € / kWh and energy capacity up to 40 kwh.
  • Low pressure irrigation systems.
  • Complete irrigation solutions (precision agriculture).
  • Tanks (plastic, metal, etc.) with a volume of up to 500 km, which do not require excavations or embankments of natural soil that are filled mainly by rainwater.
  • Reservoirs that require excavations or embankments of natural soil and are used to store rainwater.
  • Mechanical equipment designed to reuse water (e.g. biological treatment).
  • New boreholes and wells, as well as equipment for the modernization of existing ones.

It is addressed to natural and legal persons, as well as collective forms of farmers.

In order to be able to apply a farmer must comply:

  • To have completed the 18th year of age, to have full legal capacity in accordance with the provisions of the civil code.
  • To have submitted a single declaration of exploitation in the year specified in the call for expressions of interest.
  • Tax and insurance payments are settled.
  • He is not pending to be retired immediately.

Legal entities under commercial law should:

  • Have submitted a single declaration of exploitation in the year specified in the call for expressions of interest.
  • Tax and insurance payments are settled.
  • Have a duration of at least 10 years from the year of submission of the application for support and in any case such as to cover the period of long-term obligations.
  • Not to be under bankruptcy, dissolution, compulsory management, liquidation.
  • To have as main activity in the practice of agriculture.

Collective schemes, producer groups, producer organizations and associations of producer organizations, agricultural cooperatives, their associations and COINSEP should:

  • Agricultural cooperatives and COINSEP to be registered and informed in the relevant register.
  • Other collective schemes to be recognized.
  • Have authorized an individual person to act as a legal representative.
  • Have separate accounting management in case the collective scheme is under the status of another legal entity.
  • To show, in the three previous years from the year of submitting the support application, an average turnover of more than € 30,000 and a profitable average of results before taxes, interest and depreciation. This restriction excludes all collective schemes established within the previous three years from the year of submission as they are considered newly formed.
  • To be updated on tax and insurance obligations. In the event that the collective scheme is subject to the status of another legal entity, then the obligation concerns the legal entity to which it belongs.
  • Not to be in bankruptcy, dissolution, compulsory management, liquidation. In the event that the collective scheme is subject to the status of another legal entity, then the obligation concerns the legal entity to which it belongs.

What is funded

  1. a) Investments inland improvements:
  • Equipment to reduce the environmental footprint, but also the cost of irrigation such as photovoltaic system or portable stand-alone rechargeable lithium ion batteries.
  • Drilling and wells exclusively for irrigation use, including their equipment (e.g. piping, pump, generator, electrical panel) and the necessary building infrastructure (e.g. small pumping station).
  • Individual equipment for the modernization of existing boreholes / wells (indicative: change of pump, generator, electrical panel). Reservoirs (earthen, metal, etc.) that require excavations or embankments of natural soil and serve to store rainwater (rainwater) to service the irrigation systems of the farm.
  1. b) Costs of purchase, transport and installation ofnew mechanical and other equipment:
  • Irrigation systems a) drip irrigation and b) micro-irrigation (fixed low-level local irrigation micro-sprinklers).
  • Tanks up to 500km (plastic, metal, etc.)
  • Mechanical equipment (e.g., transport pipelines) designed to reuse water for irrigation (e.g., biological treatment).
  • Complete irrigation solutions related to precision agriculture and include indicative costs of purchase and installation of PC and farm management software, meteorological data network, structured cabling or wireless network installation, soil analysis systems, built-in systems, sensors, systems, control, and planning.
  1. c)General costs(which include any costs of receiving services that are provided with an explanatory plate as well as a water meter are directly related to the implementation of the investment plan, the cost of its installation).

The purchase, transport and installation of the relevant equipment cannot exceed 10,000 euros.

Excludes the cost of purchasing, transporting, and installing an autonomous device for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries which cannot exceed 20,000 euros.