Solar Panels for Agriculture

Over the years Spirt Energy have designed many solar systems for farms, installing on arable farms, dairy farms and for a local chicken farm. Farms often have extremely high energy needs, with barns needing heat and light, and machinery needing to be powered. This makes solar a great investment to decrease these overheads and increase profitability.

Solar Panels on Farmland

Farmland can be a great place for a ground mounted solar array, either to complement solar panels on farm buildings, or on its own. There are certain considerations when it comes to ground mounted which can be read in our knowledge bank article, but generally using unused farmland for a solar system is a great way to make the land profitable.

Do I Need Planning Permission to Put Solar Panels on a Farm?

For farm buildings, planning permission generally isn't required, except perhaps if your farmhouse is a listed building. For a ground mounted solar array, however, generally you will need planning permission from the local council. You can read more about the requirements on our knowledge bank. 

What Is the Payback Period for a Solar System on a Farm?

The payback period will vary depending on how much of the energy will be used on site, the wholesale price of electricity, and if battery storage will be included in the project.

The payback period can be as little as five years for many clients. For a more detailed appraisal, use our solar calculator, request a quote or talk to our team who would be happy to assist you - all free of charge and with no obligation.

Can Sheep Graze on Farmland Used for Solar?

Yes, our engineers will ensure any cables are safe from roaming livestock and studies have shown that sheep can co-exist quite happily with solar panels, even lounging in their shade in warm weather.

However, it is generally recommended that larger cattle such as cows are not placed on the same land as solar panels - their greater weight and strength can cause damage to the array.

Solar Power Grants for Farms

Government funding for solar panels on farms can be obtained via the Rural Payments Agency. 

The fine details are in our blog post on the subject here.

In broad terms, you can apply for a grant for capital items to improve farm and horticulture productivity for a number of systems, including solar photovoltaic panels.

Solar grants 

If your application is for solar PV equipment only, the minimum grant you can apply for is £15,000 (25% of £60,000). The maximum grant is £100,000 per applicant business. 

Solar Panels for Farms: Design Considerations 

Before installing a solar system, consideration needs to be given to the following: 

DNO permission 

If the solar PV system to be installed is greater than 16A per phase (~ 4kW on a 230V grid connection, and ~ 11kW on a 3 phase connection), then prior permission from the District Network Operator (SSE etc) will need to be granted. You can find out more about DNO permissions here. 

DNO permission is also required for any battery system that has backup functionality and that ‘islands’ the property from the grid in the event of a power cut. 

Planning permission 

Unless it is very small (less than 9 square metres) a ground-mounted system will always need planning permission. Roof-top solar tends to be permitted development, subject to a few limitations. 

For systems greater than 50 kW: the Prior Approval of the Local Planning Authority is required, which is a much less prescriptive process than a planning application. This will assess the design and external appearance of the development, particularly in respect of the impact of glare on occupiers of neighbouring land. 

You can find more information here:

Solar Panel Building Regulations & Planning Permission - Spirit Energy 

Structural considerations, roof warranty and health and safety 

It is important that the building and roof can take the load of the panels; this should be checked by a structural engineer before installation.  

If the roof is ‘fragile’ or contains rooflights, which tend to be regarded as ‘fragile’, then it will not be safe to install on. Rooflights may need to be boarded or otherwise guarded during installation. 

It is worth checking the roof warranty on any new roof before installation. 

Solar systems for farms: on-going maintenance 

Consideration should always be given to on-going maintenance. In particular, can the panels be cleaned, and can the panels be accessed in the unlikely event of a problem with one of them? 

Electrical servicing is recommended, as a minimum every five years (as with any electrical installation). The system will need to be thoroughly tested, with access to the inverters and any batteries.  

As stated above, it is useful, but not essential, to have a water supply near a ground-mounted array. Using weed matting or allowing for sheep grazing under the solar panels will also be helpful. 

Transform your farm's energy use at no upfront cost

 Our services include:

• Free initial consultation and ballpark quotation.
• Free completion of tender documents.
• In depth feasibility studies and system design from our specialist commercial team.
• Technology integration – on-grid and off-grid solar, storage, EV charging and voltage optimisation.
• Installation using in-house installers, servicing and maintenance.
• Financing support to help you transform your energy use at no upfront cost.

Call us on 0118 951 4490 for assistance, whether for a specific installation project, or for a wider review of energy management and efficiency, or use the request a quote button below.