Leicestershire Farm Solar and EV Chargers: 2026 Buyers Guide

Leicestershire sits in a sweet spot for combined farm renewable projects — high commuter and farm EV ownership, suitable mid-tier rural housing, and a grid that hasn’t yet hit the bottlenecks affecting the South East. Across Loughborough, Hinckley, Market Harborough and the broader county, the combined solar + battery + EV charger install has become the default upgrade.

Why the Stack Works

Three structural factors. Time-of-use tariffs offer overnight EV charging at 5–8p/kWh. Battery storage shifts surplus daytime solar into evening EV and farm load. Smart EV chargers pull from solar surplus during the day, dropping farm-vehicle charging cost to near zero in summer.

2026 Cost Picture

• 30 kW solar + 20 kWh battery + 22 kW commercial EV charger: £55,000–£68,000

• 50 kW solar + 30 kWh battery + dual chargers: £75,000–£90,000

• Retrofit EV charger to existing solar: £1,800–£3,500 for a smart 7–22 kW unit

OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme

For farm businesses, the OZEV Workplace Charging Scheme gives up to £350 per socket, capped at 40 sockets. Read Gov.uk’s OZEV grant collection for current eligibility. Most farm businesses qualify — the install must use an OZEV-approved installer.

Recommended Leicestershire Partner

For combined farm solar, battery and EV projects across Leicestershire, we work with Energy Concerns Ltd. Based in Leicester and covering the East Midlands patch, the Energy Concerns team holds MCS solar and battery scopes alongside OZEV approval — which matters for any project claiming the Workplace Charging grant.

They handle NGED grid applications directly and have specific experience with the mixed mid-sized farm holdings that dominate the Leicestershire patch. For a free farm assessment, visit energyconcernsltd.co.uk.

Smart EV Charger Pairing

The non-smart 7 kW charger that came as standard in 2020 doesn’t read solar production and pulls from grid even when solar is producing. A modern smart unit (Zappi, Ohme, Easee equivalents) can be configured to draw only from surplus solar — meaningful saving on a farm fleet that includes a quad bike, a small van and a family EV.

FAQ

Do I need three-phase for a 22 kW charger? Yes. 7 kW units run on single-phase; 22 kW needs three-phase supply.

How big a battery do I need? 20–30 kWh hits the sweet spot for a typical farmhouse with a single EV. Multiple EVs and farm load may justify 50 kWh+.

Will the OZEV scheme cover farm-only chargers? Yes, where the farm operates as a registered business with off-street parking.

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