Solar for Farms & Agriculture
Cut the energy cost of milking, cooling and processing, on roofs or land, as we did at Bilsborrow Hall Farm.
Farms run energy-hungry equipment around the clock, which makes solar a natural fit. Roof and ground-mounted arrays can slash bills and deliver paybacks in just a few years.
At Bilsborrow Hall Farm, a 75 kW system delivered a 3.3-year payback and around 18 tonnes of CO₂ saved a year.
Cornerstone Group installs agricultural solar systems across farms and estates of all sizes (roof-mounted or ground-mounted, new-build or retrofit) handling every stage from site assessment to handover for a system that generates power and saves money for a quarter of a century.
What’s included
Roof-mounted or ground-mounted
Roof-mounted solar on sheds, barns and storage buildings is usually the most cost-effective starting point and typically permitted development. Ground-mounted arrays on fallow or unused land give larger capacity (and are more likely to need planning permission). Panels can be installed at a height and spacing that lets livestock graze safely beneath.
Benefits
Reduce energy dependence and bills, fix your energy costs for the life of the system, monetise redundant buildings and land, earn from surplus exported via the Smart Export Guarantee, and improve your sustainability credentials, with DEFRA solar grants and possible capital allowances (full expensing or the Annual Investment Allowance) worth checking with your accountant.
How it works
Site assessment including grazing requirements; power planning around seasonal and welfare-critical loads; infrastructure design with equipment specified for farm environments (such as ammonia and salt-mist protection); installation scheduled around your farming calendar; and commissioning and certification to BS 7671. Typical payback is 2–4 years.
Seen in our projects.
Power you can see.
Commercial rooftop, ground-mount and agricultural solar installed by our energy team.
Guides and project stories.
Renewable Energy110 kW of solar for a poultry farmA rooftop array running the full length of a poultry shed, designed and installed by our own energy team.Read the article GuidesCommercial solar payback explained: what affects it and how long it takesHow commercial solar payback works, what drives it, from daytime demand to roof condition, and how we model yours before you commit.Read the article 
GuidesShould you re-roof before installing solar? The case for doing both togetherWhy roof condition matters before solar, how a combined roof and solar project works, and the warranty when we fit the roof and the solar.Read the article Power your business with solar.
Our renewables team designs, installs and maintains commercial solar, storage and EV charging across the North West and the UK.
Farm solar questions answered.
Can't see your question here? Our team is happy to talk it through.
Should we put solar on our roofs or on our land?
Roof-mounted solar on sheds, barns and storage buildings is usually the most cost-effective starting point and is typically permitted development. Ground-mounted arrays on fallow or unused land give larger capacity but are more likely to need planning permission.
Can livestock still graze beneath a ground-mounted array?
Yes. Panels can be installed at a height and spacing that lets livestock graze safely beneath, and we factor grazing requirements into the site assessment.
Will the installation get in the way of farm work?
We schedule installation around your farming calendar and plan power around seasonal and welfare-critical loads.
Is there funding available for farm solar?
DEFRA solar grants may be available, and you can earn from surplus power exported through the Smart Export Guarantee. Capital allowances such as full expensing or the Annual Investment Allowance may also apply, which is worth checking with your accountant.
Will the equipment stand up to farm conditions?
We specify durable mounting and equipment for farm environments, including ammonia and salt-mist protection. At Bilsborrow Hall Farm, our 75 kW system delivered a 3.3-year payback.
Let's talk about your next project.
One call reaches the whole group. Tell us what you need and we'll bring the right teams together.
