Last month, the Irish Farmers Journal published the results of a specially commissioned report which took a deep dive into the economics of solar PV on Irish farms.

This report explored the feasibility of solar PV on six farm scenarios, which were as follows:

100-cow dairy farm.

300-cow dairy farm with rotary parlour.

800-sow pig farm.

Mixed livestock farm with low electrical load.

Potato farm with cold storage and grading equipment.

Standalone 50kW small-scale solar farm.

In each scenario, we looked at the solar PV system cost, connection requirements, value of export payments, available grant aid, payback and estimated carbon reduction.

However the scenarios serve only as an example to help readers understand how solar PV may work on their farm.

In reality, every farm is different and what suits one farmer may not suit another.

Read the full report here.

Glossary

PV: photovoltaics.

kW: a kilowatt is a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes or produces.

kWh: A kilowatt-hour measures the energy an appliance uses or produces in kilowatts per hour.

MIC: maximum import capacity is the maximum electricity demand level that can be catered for by a connection to the electricity network. MIC is stated in kilovolt-amps but this value is, in most cases, similar to the number of kilowatts that may be catered for by the connection.

Peak load: the maximum of electrical power demand.

ACA: accelerated capital allowances.

On-farm solar panel systems could be repaid in five years

Is solar PV right for you?

Solar PV – the lay of the land

Solar PV pays on dairy farms

Can solar PV generate an income on a mixed farm?

Solar solutions for potato stores

Can solar PV help tackle high costs on pig farms?

Are small-scale solar farms viable?

Tillage podcast: spring agronomy, solar PV economics and €400/t malting barley

Planning exemptions for solar PV due by June