Fewer than 2% of dairy farms have solar PV system installed

A typical solar PV installation on a 100-cow dairy farm will supply 30% of the farm's electricity need on an investment of €15,300

The way the agriculture industry produces and uses energy is going to radically change in this country in the next years.

Despite solar “sparking most interest” among farmers of all the renewable energy technologies available, fewer than 2% of dairy farms in Ireland currently have a solar photovoltaic system installed.

As farmers await the introduction of a microgeneration support scheme in the near future, Barry Caslin, Teagasc energy and rural development specialist told the Irish Examiner that farmers are “getting their ducks in a row” ahead of that.