Case Study:
Upper Heath Farm
Project Details:
Project Type: Agricultural User
Solar PV: 90 kWp
Hybrid DC-coupled battery storage: 60 kW | 126 kWh
Expected return on investment: 4.8 years
Brief:
The Client runs a mixed use farm in mid Wales, including indoor poultry farming comprising two 2,200 sqm sheds. The farm site electricity load typically runs at 20 to 50 kW with an annual consumption of 170,000 kWh.
Solution:
Analysis was carried to optimise the site load being met by solar generation, battery storage of excess solar output, battery charging during cheaper night time tariff hours, and the ability to discharge the battery and export stored electricity during periods of high wholesale market prices
A full technical proposal was accepted by the Client and business advisor, including comprehensive financial forecasts required by their finance lender. The system was commissioned on schedule and on budget in September 2023 with immediate reductions seen in site electricity costs and a positive income derived from selling power into the UK wholesale electricity market.
CLIENT FEEDBACK:
Our farm was experiencing a large increase in electricity costs due to a hike in our import tariff, and as a result wanted to find a reliable technology that would reduce our costs and increase the control we had over our energy usage. SCALA Renewables battery energy storage technology, coupled with a 90 kWp solar PV array has proven to be an effective solution. Thanks to the battery, we can use cheaper night rate electricity during the day and free solar power once the sun has set. In addition, with SCALA’s energy trading software platform we can earn a revenue by discharging the battery to the grid when the wholesale market rate is high. SCALA provided a professional approach, taking us through a number of solar and battery solutions at different budgets to show us the expected return on investment. The installation went smoothly and SCALA have always been at the end of the phone if we have had any questions. We have seen our energy bills drop, and feel confident we are more protected from future import contract price rises.