Why soft fruit farms are ideal candidates for solar
Soft fruit growers operate one of the most energy-intensive sectors in UK horticulture. Tabletop strawberry systems, tunnel ventilation, pre-cooling rooms, packhouses and controlled-atmosphere storage all consume electricity at scales more comparable to food manufacturing than traditional farming. Output varies with latitude: EU PVGIS modelling (south-facing 30° roof) gives about 1,045 kWh per kWp a year at Exeter and 877 at Aberdeen. The critical energy loads on a soft fruit farm include pre-cooling, cold storage, packhouse refrigeration, forced-air fans, irrigation pumping and tunnel ventilation. All of these peak during the summer harvest window - which is also when solar generation is at its maximum. That natural alignment drives the savings, but payback depends on the system cost, how much output the farm uses in daylight and your grid price — ask for a calculation from your own half-hourly meter data (worked example). Your packhouse and cold-store roofs are ideal solar surfaces - often large and single-span. Typical installation sizes range from 75kW on a small packhouse to 500kW+ on a multi-tunnel farm with integrated packing. If supermarket customers ask for carbon data for their Scope 3 reporting, on-site solar generation is one measurable input. Soft fruit growers should also consider integrating EV charging infrastructure for seasonal worker transport and battery storage for post-harvest evening grading operations. A well-designed system can use most of its output on site through the harvest window.
What a typical soft fruit farms installation looks like
| Typical system size | 75–500 kW |
| Cost benchmark | £1,262/kW median, 10–50 kW (DESNZ 2025/26); itemised quotes above 50 kW |
| Payback | From your own meter data |
| Grant (England) | IFP Round 2 closed; no solar round open (September 2026) |
| MCS certified | Check on the MCS register |
Benefits for soft fruit farms
- Offset pre-cooling and cold storage peak loads
- Power packhouse refrigeration and grading lines
- Solar-matched summer harvest energy profile
- Support supermarket supplier (Scope 3) carbon reporting
- Seasonal worker EV charger integration
- Irrigation and fertigation pumping during daylight hours
- Large packhouse roofs enable 100-500kW systems
- Payback calculated from your own half-hourly meter data
Grants and finance
In England, the Improving Farm Productivity (IFP) grant funded 25% of eligible costs for rooftop solar and irrigation-reservoir solar only; ground-mounted arrays were not eligible. Round 2 has closed, and no solar round is open at the time of writing (September 2026). Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own schemes. The £1m Annual Investment Allowance lets most farm businesses deduct the full cost in the year of purchase; full expensing does not apply to solar panels. Panels on an irrigation reservoir are covered in our guide to floating solar on farm reservoirs.
For zero-upfront installs, ask about Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) finance, where you pay only for the electricity generated at a rate below your current grid tariff. Asset finance over a fixed term is another route for farms with strong cash flow.
Compliance and structural points specific to soft fruit farms
In England, rooftop solar on agricultural buildings is usually permitted development under Class J of Part 14 of the GPDO, and arrays above 50 kW need prior approval on design and external appearance. Class J does not apply to listed buildings (or their curtilage) or scheduled monuments, and field arrays beyond Class K’s single 9 m² array need full planning permission — see solar on agricultural buildings.
Structural surveys check purlin spacing, rafter capacity and roof sheet condition before any install. Asbestos cement roofing — still common on older sheds — is always fragile and cannot bear weight, HSE warns, so the usual routes are overcladding onto the existing purlins or removing and re-sheeting (asbestos roof guide). Three-phase upgrades, and the G99 application needed above G98 limits, go through your local network operator.
Get a quote for solar on your soft fruit farm
Send your half-hourly meter data and roof details; no obligation.
Solar for soft fruit farms at a glance
- Indicative system size
- 75–500 kW — confirm from your meter data
- Cost benchmark
- £1,262 per kW median, 10–50 kW systems (DESNZ 2025/26)
- Rooftop planning (England)
- Usually permitted development under Class J; prior approval above 50 kW
- Grants and tax (England)
- IFP solar round closed; £1m Annual Investment Allowance
Common questions
How much do solar panels for a farm cost in the UK?
Dairy and livestock parlour installs (30–250 kW): £32,000–£225,000. Arable rooftop installs (50–500 kW): £45,000–£500,000. Ground-mount agrivoltaic schemes (500 kW–10 MW): £350,000–£8m+. Cost per kW is typically £750–£1,000 for rooftop above 100 kW, £600–£800/kW for ground-mount above 500 kW.
What's the payback for a dairy farm solar install?
5–6 years. Dairy farms have outstanding self-consumption (24/7 milk cooling, parlour pumps, lighting) — often 90%+ of generation is consumed on site. Combined with 100% AIA tax relief, dairy installs sit alongside cold-chain warehouses as the fastest-payback segment in UK commercial solar.
Can we install solar on asbestos cement farm roofs?
No — asbestos cement roofs must be replaced first. The most common solution is a combined re-roof + PV install where the PV business case partially funds the re-roof. CAR 2012 governs asbestos handling — only licensed contractors can remove asbestos cement. Most modern installs sit on profiled steel re-clads.
What about agrivoltaics — solar above crops or grazing?
Agrivoltaics is emerging quickly in the UK. Sheep grazing under elevated panels is well-established. Crops (typically shade-tolerant: leafy greens, soft fruit, hops) under translucent panels is showing promising trial results. Defra and NFU are engaged. SFI 2025 is expected to add specific agrivoltaic compatibility actions.
What grants are available for farm solar?
100% AIA tax relief is universal. SFI actions support agrivoltaic schemes and biodiversity-stacked installs. Farming Investment Fund occasionally relevant. Welsh and Scottish farms have their own devolved schemes with often-higher intervention rates. SEG provides ongoing export income.
Do tenant farmers need landlord consent?
Yes — for any structural alteration to buildings or land use change. Most institutional landlords (Crown Estate, Church Commissioners, Wellcome Trust, county councils) have standard tenant-PV addenda. Private landlords vary. We provide the lease addendum template. Some landlords prefer to fund directly with a service-charge recovery from the tenant.
Related pillar pages
- • Farm solar costs 2026 — government data by size
- • Solar panels on farm buildings — roofs, rules and grants
- • UK farm solar grants — what is open and closed
- • 2026 grant position
- • Finance options — capex, asset finance, PPA
- • How to choose an agricultural solar installer
- • Farm solar maintenance after installation
- • Farm solar glossary A–Z
- • Worked examples by farm type (modelled)