South West England farm solar
The South West has the UK's highest irradiance, strong agricultural diversity and a supportive planning landscape for farm diversification. Dairy, livestock, horticulture and cider orchards dominate. National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) is the regional DNO. Expect excellent rooftop yields, with coastal and moorland sites requiring marine-grade and high-wind mounting respectively.
Farming landscape across South West England
UK's most diverse agricultural region — Cornwall and Devon livestock, Somerset Levels dairy, Wiltshire and Dorset mixed arable, Gloucestershire fruit and cider orchards. Cider apple production is a niche specialism with year-round cold-chain refrigeration.
Grants and funding routes
FETF (England). SFI Pollinator Package particularly strong here given existing wildflower meadow restoration commitments. Duchy of Cornwall lands have a separate funding route for tenants.
Read the full UK farm solar grants overview and the 2026 grant application calendar for deadline-by-deadline planning.
Planning and protected landscapes
Dartmoor, Exmoor and South Downs National Parks. Mendip, Cotswolds and East Devon AONBs. Most ag-rooftop installations qualify as permitted development but heritage farm buildings need conservation officer engagement.
Most South West England rooftop installations on existing agricultural buildings qualify as permitted development under Class A or Class B of the GPDO. Ground-mount and listed buildings need full planning. We handle every application — see planning permission for farm solar.
Grid connection — National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED)
National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED, formerly Western Power Distribution). 8-14 weeks for G99 typical. Capacity constraints around Bridgwater Levels and mid-Wales border.
Every project we deliver in South West England goes through National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED). We manage G98 (sub-16A/phase) and G99 (commercial scale) applications end-to-end as part of every quote — see our 8-stage installation process for typical timings.
Climate and solar irradiance
Wettest region (1,100-1,500mm) but warmer winters extend the generation season either side of the equinoxes. Salt-laden coastal air requires marine-grade mounting within 5km of the coast.
Annual irradiance: 1,100 kWh/m²/yr — the UK's highest regional irradiance, particularly along the coast.. This translates to 935 kWh per kWp of installed capacity per year for a south-facing 30° pitched roof — the figure we model every South West England farm quote against.
Counties we cover across South West England
8 counties served, with regional installation team dispatched from our nearest hub:
Cornwall
Solar panels for farms in Cornwall →
Devon
Solar panels for farms in Devon →
Somerset
Solar panels for farms in Somerset →
Dorset
Solar panels for farms in Dorset →
Gloucestershire
Solar panels for farms in Gloucestershire →
Wiltshire
Solar panels for farms in Wiltshire →
Bristol
Solar panels for farms in Bristol →
Bath North East Somerset
Solar panels for farms in Bath North East Somerset →
Typical farm solar projects across South West England
- Small farm (sub-50 kW): £14k-£40k gross / £8k-£24k net after FETF + AIA. Payback 2.0-3.0 years.
- Medium farm (50-150 kW): £35k-£105k gross / £19k-£56k net. Payback 1.6-2.4 years.
- Large farm (150-500 kW): £90k-£330k gross / £48k-£198k net. Payback 1.5-2.0 years.
- Estate-scale (500 kW+): £270k+ gross / £162k+ net. Payback 1.5-1.8 years. Often paired with PPA finance.
See full pricing by system size for the breakdown by farm type and system tier.
Most popular farm types we install in South West England
- • Dairy farms — 30-250 kW typical, 5-year payback
- • Arable farms — 50-500 kW typical, 4.5-year payback
- • Poultry farms — 50-300 kW, fastest UK payback at 3.5 years
- • Livestock farms — 20-100 kW typical, 5.5-year payback
- • Mixed farms — 30-250 kW, 5-year payback
- • Horticultural & glasshouse — 100-1,000 kW, 4-year payback