A new solar PV system may not be at the forefront of your mind given the recent grey skies, wind and rain. But Round 2 of the Improving Farm Productivity grant (which is due to open by the end of January) could help you fund the installation of a solar PV system that will slash your farm’s electricity bills.
The grant forms part of the offering from the Farm Transformation Fund. It includes items with a focus on improving the environment and productivity, such as solar PV systems, or robotic and automatic equipment.
If your business would like to reduce its energy bills, this is an opportune time to install solar panels with help from the grant.
For a solar PV system to be eligible, it will need to be mainly for farm power and installed on farm buildings with suitable roofs. The panels cannot be on a residential property. The solar energy can be stored in a battery or batteries, and your solar PV system can be set up to export surplus power back to the National Grid.
Eligible items include:
- solar PV panels
- solar batteries
- inverters
- utility meters
- electrical grid connection
- power diverter (redirects excess solar energy to power storage, for example a battery or heat store)
It’s worth noting that upgrading existing panels or installing ground-mounted systems are not included under the scheme.
If your business is eligible to apply for a solar grant, the minimum grant that can be applied for is £15,000 (25% of a £60,000 project). The maximum grant per business is £100,000.
The grants are competitive and subject to other restrictions and qualifying criteria such as financial viability, and the possibility of securing planning and/or other consents. AssetSphere can guide you through all of this and advise on the likely planning requirements.