.jpg)
Lower Blakemere Farm Solar and Battery Storage
Farm solar and battery storage for Lower Blakemere Farm
Lower Blakemere Farm, part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate, needed a practical way to reduce electricity costs and reliance on grid power across a busy agricultural site near Hereford.
Grain storage, livestock operations, lighting and general farm equipment all contribute to electricity demand at different times throughout the day and across the year.
DW Energy designed and installed a 61.6 kWp solar PV system with 46.4 kWh of battery storage, allowing the farm to generate, store and use more of its own electricity on site.
Reducing grid reliance across a working agricultural site
Electricity demand at Lower Blakemere is determined by practical farm operations rather than a consistent office-style usage pattern. Seasonal activity and the operation of agricultural equipment can create significant variations in demand.
The project needed to reduce imported electricity without adding unnecessary complexity to the farm’s day-to-day operations.
Solar PV could make productive use of the available agricultural roof space, while battery storage would allow more of the generated electricity to be used outside peak daylight hours.
61.6 kWp solar PV and 46.4 kWh battery storage
DW Energy designed and installed an integrated farm energy system comprising:
- 112 UKSOL 550 W solar panels
- 61.6 kWp of total solar PV capacity
- A SolaX three-phase inverter
- Four SolaX Triple Power battery units
- 46.4 kWh of total battery storage
- System monitoring for generation, consumption and battery performance
The proposal forecast annual solar generation of approximately 55,200 kWh and first-year electricity savings of £11,533.37.
These are forecast figures and should remain clearly distinguished from the actual self-sufficiency results recorded after installation.
The complete system was installed in ten days, with the work planned around the requirements of a live agricultural environment.
More than 45% average self-sufficiency
Lower Blakemere Farm is now averaging more than 45% self-sufficiency, with over 90% achieved on sunny days.
The solar array supplies electricity directly to farm operations during daylight hours. Surplus generation can be stored in the battery system and used when demand exceeds immediate solar production.
This reduces the farm’s reliance on imported grid electricity while making better use of the energy generated across the agricultural roof.
Planning solar and battery storage for a farm?
DW Energy designs solar PV and battery storage systems around the energy demand, roof space and operational requirements of agricultural businesses.
.jpg)
