Powering a Working Farm with a 60kW Solar System

Powering a Working Farm with a 60kW Solar System

In spring 2025, we delivered a bespoke solar installation for a busy working farm in Norfolk. With high on-site electricity usage, the farm wanted to reduce its energy costs long term while finding an installation that could work with their challenging asbestos roof.

A Farm with High Energy Demands

The farm uses around 90,000kWh of electricity per year, making it an ideal candidate for a large solar system. Our goal was to maximise self-sufficiency while ensuring the system could meet the farm’s day-to-day energy needs.

Our final design included:

• A 60kW solar PV system
  
• 2x 30kW inverters for efficient load distribution
  
• 160x Longi 460W solar panels, chosen for their reliability and output
  
• 96 kWh battery storage to optimise usage 

The farm’s expected annual generation is around 60,000kWh, covering the majority of its energy use. 

The customer also requested power backup functionality, as their location is susceptible to power cuts. This was installed using the new Sigenergy Gateway, ensuring the farm can use stored solar power if the energy grid fails.

Installing Solar on an Asbestos Roof

One of the site’s roofs was made from asbestos cement sheeting; requiring careful planning and handling. Our team used:

• Mechanically fixed vertical rails attached to the lowest point of the roof profile
  
• Horizontal rails to secure the solar panels in place
  
• Specialist installation techniques aligned with health and safety regulations

A 500mm trench was dug to house the system’s underground wiring, and the roof area was accessed via full edge-protected scaffolding with a platform lift system to safely raise panels into position.

Commissioning and System Performance

Commissioning was completed in late May, and we did a final run-through to explain the system’s functionality. We also discussed monitoring options to allow the farm to keep track of their energy generation and solar panel performance in real time.

The system has now been fully handed over, and is successfully generating up to 99% of the farm’s daily energy needs!

Grid Connection and Export Potential

During the sunnier months of the year, the customer’s system will produce surplus energy beyond what they consume. We worked with our expert partners at Open Power to help them find the best export tariff to sell excess energy back to the grid, getting a faster return on their solar investment.

Thinking About Solar for Your Farm?

Whether you’re running a livestock operation, a grain dryer, or refrigerated storage, solar can help you cut costs, boost your bottom line, and reduce your carbon footprint.

To learn more about how solar can work for your farm, start a conversation with our team today. We have dedicated members of our team who are farmers themselves, and understand your needs inside and out. They’ll design a system around your farm’s unique layout to help you reduce costs and take control of your energy supply.

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