--- title: "Agricultural Solar Panels for Farms — Ground Mount & Barn Roof UK" description: "Solar panels for farms and rural properties. Ground-mounted arrays, barn roof systems, agrivoltaics, planning guidance. MCS certified, North West England." lang: en-GB json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "LocalBusiness", "name": "Greentech Renewables", "image": "https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk/logo.png", "description": "MCS Certified Solar Panel and Battery Storage Installers in Greater Manchester. Trusted by 2000+ UK homeowners for renewable energy solutions.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Greater Manchester", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "telephone": "0333 577 7010", "email": "admin@greentechrenewables.co.uk", "url": "https://www.greentechrenewables.co.uk", "priceRange": "££", "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "reviewCount": "105" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/greentechrenewables", "https://www.instagram.com/greentechrenewables" ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Renewable Energy Services", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Solar Panel Installation" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Battery Storage Systems" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Air Source Heat Pumps" } } ] } } --- [0333 577 7010 ](tel:03335777010)[admin@greentechrenewables.co.uk ](mailto:admin@greentechrenewables.co.uk) ★ 4.9 on Trustpilot [![Greentech Renewables - MCS Certified Solar Installers](/assets/greentech-logo-DICMm454.jpg)](/) [Home](/) Our Services Solar Energy [ Residential Solar Home solar panel systems ](/solar-panels)[ Commercial Solar Business & industrial solutions ](/commercial-solar)[ Price Estimator Get an instant quote ](/solar-estimator) Energy Storage [ Battery Storage Store excess solar energy ](/battery-storage) Heat Pumps [ Air Source Heat Pumps Efficient home heating ](/heat-pumps)[ Octopus Cosy Installer Accredited Cosy fitting in Manchester ](/octopus-cosy-heat-pump-installer-manchester)[ Boiler Upgrade Scheme £7,500–£9,000 government grant ](/boiler-upgrade-scheme-bus) EV Charging [ Home EV Chargers Charge at home ](/ev-charging)[ Commercial Charging Workplace solutions ](/ev-charging#commercial) Ready to switch to renewable energy? 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You may get free panels [Check Eligibility](/grants/warm-homes-plan-eligibility) [Case Studies](/case-studies) [0% Finance](/finance)[Quick Solar Price](/solar-estimator) # Agricultural Solar Panels for Farms and Rural Properties GR **Greentech Renewables — MCS-Certified Agricultural Solar Installers** Ground-mounted · Barn roof · Agrivoltaics · North West England A 50kW ground-mounted farm solar array costs £35,000–£45,000 (0% VAT) and generates 43,000–50,000 kWh/year in the North West — enough to eliminate electricity bills for a working farm and export surplus under the Smart Export Guarantee or a Power Purchase Agreement. Ground-mounted systems up to 1MW can be installed under permitted development prior approval, without full planning permission. ### Key Takeaways - Ground-mounted arrays up to **1MW qualify for permitted development prior approval** — full planning permission not always required. - 50kW farm system: £35,000–£45,000 at **0% VAT**. 250kW: £150,000–£200,000. Returns in 6–10 years from avoided electricity cost + export income. - **Barn roofs** are excellent solar candidates — large, unobstructed areas with simplified planning rules for agricultural buildings. - **Agrivoltaics** (sheep grazing beneath panels) allows full agricultural use of land while generating solar income — no change of land designation required. - Grid export options: [Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)](/grants/smart-export-guarantee) for smaller arrays; Power Purchase Agreements for 250kW+. - Farms with high electricity consumption (grain drying, refrigeration, EV machinery charging) achieve the fastest payback. - [Contact us](/contact-us) for a free agricultural site survey — covering Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cheshire. ## How Much Does Farm Solar Cost and What Is the Return? System Size Typical Farm Type Installed Cost (0% VAT) Annual Generation Est. Payback 10kW Small holding / farmhouse £8,000–£11,000 8,700–10,000 kWh 7–10 years 50kW Working farm (dairy/arable) £35,000–£45,000 43,000–50,000 kWh 6–9 years 100kW Large farm / estate £65,000–£85,000 87,000–100,000 kWh 6–8 years 250kW Large ground-mount (export) £150,000–£200,000 215,000–250,000 kWh 7–10 years (PPA) Payback calculations assume electricity price of 24.67p/kWh (Ofgem Q2 2026) and SEG export rate of approximately 5–7p/kWh. Farms with high on-site consumption (grain dryers, refrigeration, EV machinery) achieve faster payback than farms primarily relying on export income. 1MW max ground-mount under permitted development prior approval GPDO 2015, Pt 14 0% VAT on agricultural solar (farm buildings and land) HMRC Notice 708/6 50,000 kWh/yr from a 50kW farm array (North West) 870–1,000 kWh/kWp 6–9 yr typical farm solar payback (self-consumption focus) Greentech estimate ## Frequently Asked Questions — Agricultural Solar Do solar panels on farms require planning permission? Ground-mounted arrays up to 1MW on agricultural land can proceed under [permitted development prior approval (GPDO 2015, Part 14)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/schedule/2/made). Above 1MW, or in National Parks/AONBs, full planning is required. Barn roof installations on existing agricultural buildings are typically permitted development with no application needed. How much does a ground-mounted solar array cost for a farm? 50kW: £35,000–£45,000 (0% VAT). 250kW: £150,000–£200,000. Developer/contractor pricing at £600–£900/kWp depending on system size and site access. Contact us for a free site survey and quote. What is agrivoltaics and how does it work? Agrivoltaics combines solar panels with active agricultural use of the same land — most commonly sheep grazing beneath raised panels. No land use change is required. Panels are mounted at 1.5–2m height to allow livestock access, and some studies show improved grass moisture retention and crop shade benefits. Common across UK farm solar since 2021. Can a farm export solar electricity to the grid? Yes. Smaller arrays can export under the [Smart Export Guarantee](/grants/smart-export-guarantee). Arrays of 250kW+ are typically better served by a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with an energy buyer — providing fixed, often higher rates than SEG. We manage DNO grid connection applications for larger farm installations. Are solar panels suitable for barn roofs? Yes — barn roofs are often excellent solar candidates. Large, unobstructed areas and simpler planning rules. Structural assessment required before installation. Corrugated metal and fibre-cement roofs both support solar. Pre-1999 agricultural buildings with asbestos-containing sheets require assessment first — we advise at survey stage. Is VAT exempt on agricultural solar panel installations? Yes. Agricultural solar installations (barn roofs and ground-mounted on farmland for on-site use) qualify for 0% VAT under the Energy Saving Materials relief. This provides a 20% cost saving over the standard VAT rate. How much energy does a farm solar system generate? In the North West, expect 870–1,000 kWh per kWp per year. A 50kW array: 43,500–50,000 kWh/year. A 100kW array: 87,000–100,000 kWh/year. This compares favourably with national averages due to Greater Manchester's clear southerly orientation and favourable open-field solar resource. What grants are available for farm solar panels? The Farming Investment Fund (FIF) Technology Fund has in previous rounds supported agricultural energy savings. Check [gov.uk/guidance/farming-investment-fund](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/farming-investment-fund) for current open rounds. We advise on available agricultural energy grants during our free site survey at no cost. **Methodology note:** Permitted development rules from [GPDO 2015, Schedule 2, Part 14](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/596/schedule/2/made). VAT exemption from [HMRC Notice 708/6](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-saving-materials-and-heating-equipment-notice-7086). Solar yield estimates at 870–1,000 kWh/kWp based on PVGIS modelling for Greater Manchester (53.5°N). Payback calculations at Ofgem Q2 2026 electricity cap 24.67p/kWh. Cost ranges from North West UK agricultural solar contracts, June 2026. ### Free Agricultural Solar Site Survey Ground-mount or barn roof · 0% VAT · Grid export setup · North West England [Request Farm Solar Survey](/free-quote) [Solar for Developers →](/solar-for-developers) GR Greentech Renewables MCS-certified solar installers serving farms and rural properties across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Cheshire. 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