New solar grants available to farmers and landowners
A grant of up to 25% of the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) equipment is available through Round 2 of the Improving Farm Productivity Grant.
The grant will fund systems that are mounted on farm buildings or are floating in reservoirs, but not ground-mounted ones.
The minimum grant available is £15,000, so a solar project must cost a minimum of £60,000, with a maximum grant of £100,000 on offer for a £400,000 system.
There is a two-stage application process. An expression of interest must be made through an online application portal, which opened on 21 January and closes on 21 March.
If the application is eligible and has a good likelihood of success, a full application can then be submitted by 30 June 2025 (dates may be subject to change).
Our specialist renewable energy team can advise on system design, expected return on investment, selecting, appointing and managing contractors to install the system, and monitoring its performance.
Please contact Jeremy Dawson, our head of renewable energy, if you would like to discuss the grant or any type of renewable energy system.
| Eligible for grant | Not eligible | |
| Location of the system | On the roof of a farm buildingOn an irrigation reservoir (including the supporting floating cradle) | Ground-based solar systemsPanels installed on reservoir banksPanels on a residential property |
| What can and can’t be funded? | Solar PV panelsSolar batteriesInvertersUtility meterElectrical grid connectionPower diverter, which redirects excess solar energy to power storage (for example heat stores) | Ground-based solar systemsReplacement or reinforcement of roofsConstruction of farm buildingsUpgrading of existing solar panels |
| Other points | The system should be mainly for farm power but can be connected to export surplus power back to the national grid. The solar energy is stored in a battery or batteries.The grant is available to any type of farm, including horticultural ones.Tenants can apply, subject to length of tenancy / landlord undertakings.It can be used to add battery storage to an existing PV system. | Projects that have already started.Solar thermal systems for hot water (although the grant will fund heat stores). |
Details were current as of 25 January 2024. While every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, we cannot offer any guarantee that it contains no factual errors.
