The challenge
A dairy operation running milking twice daily from 05:30 and 15:30, with continuous refrigeration and water heating loads. The farm is on a single-phase SP Manweb rural spur with a history of supply interruptions in winter storms — making grid reliability as important as energy cost. The Farming Connect grant required a pre-application business development plan that the client had not previously engaged with.
Our solution
FLD coordinated the Farming Connect pre-application feasibility report, including a farm energy audit showing 78% average self-consumption across the year driven by continuous refrigeration loads. We specified 75 kWp of Trina Vertex panels on the south-facing dairy unit roof with a SolarEdge hybrid inverter and a 15 kWh blackout-rated battery bank — ensuring that the refrigeration and nurse-call circuits remain live during grid interruptions. SP Manweb G98 approval was obtained in 9 weeks.
The result
Farming Connect grant of £28,400 (40% of eligible costs) secured. Net capex after grant: £42,600. Post-grant AIA payback: 1.9 years. The battery has already sustained refrigeration through two winter grid interruptions. The client has enquired about a second array on the grain store.
The grant application was the part I was dreading most. FLD handled the Farming Connect paperwork alongside the installation and we got 40% back. The battery has already paid its way twice over in power cuts.
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