Solar Panels for Farms in County Antrim

Specialist agricultural solar PV across County Antrim and the wider County Antrim area, including County Down, County Armagh, County Londonderry. MCS-certified, FETF grant-backed, fixed-price proposals within 7 working days.

Solar panels for farms across County Antrim

County Antrim is Northern Ireland’s most densely-populated and most industrialised county — but it’s also home to some of the province’s most productive dairy and beef enterprises. The county’s 645,000 residents spread across Belfast’s northern hinterland, the broad Antrim Plateau, the dramatic Glens of Antrim and the Lough Neagh basin, with farming concentrated on the lowland clays around Ballymena, Antrim and Randalstown.

We deliver MCS-certified solar PV across County Antrim for dairy, beef, sheep, mixed and poultry farms. Every project starts with half-hourly meter data analysis, a structural roof survey, NIE Networks grid connection assessment, DAERA Farm Energy Efficiency Scheme application and a fixed-price proposal — typically within 7 working days. Our installation teams are dispatched from our Belfast partner hub, covering Antrim, Ballymena, Larne, Carrickfergus, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Glengormley, Ballyclare, Randalstown, Crumlin, Cushendall, Ballycastle and the Glens of Antrim.

County Antrim’s farming landscape

The Antrim Plateau is the central farming district — predominantly improved grassland on basalt-derived soils, supporting NI’s strongest dairy concentration. Friesian-Holstein herds dominate, with milk going to Dale Farm, Lakeland Dairies and Glanbia processing facilities at Coleraine and Bangor. Average farm size is larger than the NI median, with significant scope for multi-shed solar installations.

The Glens of Antrim support extensive sheep and beef farming on Atlantic-influenced upland — Scottish Blackface, Cheviot and Suffolk-cross flocks predominate. Designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty constrains visual impact for ground-mount; roof-mounted PV on existing farm buildings is generally acceptable.

The Lough Neagh basin in the south-west supports mixed dairy and arable on richer alluvial soils, with poultry production particularly concentrated around Moy and Toomebridge. NI’s broiler and laying poultry industry is heavily weighted to this region.

Larne hinterland supports significant horticulture and protected cropping under polytunnels — strawberries, raspberries, brassicas — with energy-intensive cold-chain handling that benefits exceptionally from solar PV.

Grid connection — NIE Networks

Every County Antrim farm solar project connects through NIE Networks, the integrated transmission and distribution operator for Northern Ireland. NIE applications follow the same G98 (small) / G99 (large) framework as GB but with Northern Ireland-specific timelines and connection charges. We manage the application end to end, including the supply intake reinforcement that some older Antrim Plateau farms require.

Typical NIE timeline: 6–10 weeks for sub-100kW G98 applications, 10–16 weeks for G99 applications above. The North Channel interconnector and Lough Neagh-area grid reinforcement have improved export capacity materially in 2024–2026.

DAERA Farm Energy Efficiency Scheme

County Antrim farms qualify for the DAERA Farm Energy Efficiency Scheme offering up to 40% of capital cost for solar PV, battery storage and associated infrastructure. The 2025 funding round increased by 30% versus 2024 reflecting strong uptake; the 2026 window is expected to open in spring with a 6–8 week application period.

DAERA scoring favours: high-energy livestock and poultry farms, projects demonstrating GHG reduction, applicants with existing farm business ID, and proposals integrated with milk quality / animal welfare upgrades.

Recent County Antrim installations

• 110kWp dairy parlour install near Ballymena (2024) — 160-cow Friesian herd. Annual saving £21,500, payback 2.4 years with DAERA grant. 50kWh battery covers overnight cooling.
• 180kWp poultry shed install near Toomebridge (2024) — 24,000-bird laying unit. Annual saving £49,000, payback 1.7 years. Three-phase supply reinforcement completed with NIE Networks.
• 65kWp glasshouse-edge install near Larne (2025) — strawberry pack-house and pre-cooling rooms. Annual saving £14,200, payback 2.9 years.

Frequently asked questions

Do UK mainland grants like FETF apply to County Antrim farms?

No. FETF is England-only. County Antrim farms instead qualify for the DAERA Farm Energy Efficiency Scheme which provides equivalent 40% capital support up to similar caps. We prepare DAERA applications on your behalf with a 90%+ approval rate.

Who handles my grid connection in County Antrim?

NIE Networks is the integrated transmission and distribution operator for the whole of Northern Ireland. All G98 / G99 applications go through NIE; we handle the paperwork as part of every quote.

Is solar viable in the Glens of Antrim with the Atlantic climate?

Yes — annual irradiance across coastal Antrim sits at 950–1,000 kWh/kWp, lower than southern England but still delivering 4–6 year payback for dairy and poultry farms with high self-consumption. The strong summer daylight (16+ hours in June) more than compensates for shorter winter days.

Can I install solar on a tenanted farm in County Antrim?

Yes. NI Farm Business Tenancy framework is similar to the GB FBT but with shorter typical terms. We provide a standard tenant solar agreement that satisfies DAERA tenancy requirements and protects both parties. Open the conversation early with your landlord.

Get a County Antrim farm solar quote

Free desk feasibility from your half-hourly meter data. Fixed-price proposal within 7 working days. DAERA application prepared as part of the quote. We cover the whole of County Antrim from our Belfast partner hub.

Request a County Antrim quote →