Grants & Funding — Farm Solar Insights

Grant support for farm solar has narrowed. In England, the Improving Farm Productivity (IFP) grant funded 25% of eligible costs for rooftop and irrigation-reservoir solar (grants of £15,000 to £100,000), but its second round has closed and no solar round is open at the time of writing (November 2026). The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund's 2026 window closed on 12 May 2026. The current farm capital schemes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not fund solar panels. Northern Ireland's 20% NISEP grant for business solar PV (capped at £30,000) has closed for its 2026/27 round, and Wales's Development Bank of Wales 3% farm loan is taking registrations of interest.

Beyond grants, the dependable support is tax: the £1m Annual Investment Allowance relieves the full cost of solar in the year of purchase for most farm businesses. The Smart Export Guarantee pays for exported electricity at rates set by each supplier, and in England solar plant is excepted from business rates until 1 April 2035 where most of the power is used on site.

When a scheme does open, a good installer helps with the technical specification and the quotes an application needs. Ask any installer who claims an approval rate to evidence it.

Read our grants overview and grant status by nation; the articles below cover scheme updates and the regional picture.