Commercial & Agricultural Solar Installation in Aberdeenshire
Solar PV for farm sheds, steadings and business premises, sized around your electricity supply and your working day, not just your roof.
Sizing Around Farm and Business Electricity Use
For a farm, steading or business premises, sizing solar around roof space alone misses the point. We look at what draws power through the day — refrigeration, ventilation, milking equipment, workshop machinery, grain driers, irrigation pumps — and size the array to offset that daytime load rather than chase a headline output figure. A commercial or agricultural survey takes longer than a domestic one: we check the meter, ask about shift patterns and seasonal demand, and confirm whether a three-phase supply is already in place or would need upgrading before we quote.
Steadings, Sheds and Box Profile Roofs
Most farm sheds and modern portal-frame buildings are clad in box profile steel sheeting rather than tile or slate, and that changes how panels go on. Instead of hooks fitted under tiles, we fix aluminium rail directly to the standing seam or bolt through the sheet into the purlins below, with sealed washers to keep the roof watertight. Older stone steadings sometimes carry slate roofs and get treated more like a domestic install. Long, open shed roofs also mean fewer separate roof faces to route cable around, which usually keeps the job quicker than a house roof with dormers and hips to work past.
- Structural check of purlins for the added roof load
- Rail or standing-seam clamp fixing to suit your sheeting
- Extra fixing points on exposed, wind-loaded elevations
- Cable routes planned around existing shed wiring
Three-Phase Supply and Grid Connection
Many farms and larger business premises run on a three-phase supply, which affects inverter choice and how the system connects to the grid. Above certain output thresholds your network operator needs formal notification or approval before we connect, and we handle that application as part of the job rather than leaving you to chase it. If your usage is heavily weighted to daylight hours — grain drying in autumn, refrigeration running constantly, workshop equipment through a working day — we can size the system to cut the units you draw from the grid rather than maximise export, which is usually the better return for a working farm or business. This is the same core install process we cover on our solar panel installation page, and it can be paired with battery storage to cover early morning or evening loads too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you install on modern portal-frame sheds as well as older steadings?
Yes. We fit both — box profile steel roofs and traditional slate or tile steadings need different mounting hardware, and we bring the right fixings for whichever your buildings have.
Will a larger array need approval from our electricity network operator?
Above certain output levels, yes. We handle the notification or application to your Distribution Network Operator as part of the installation, so you're not left dealing with it separately.
Can the system be sized to cut our daytime electricity bill rather than just exporting?
Yes — this is often the priority for farms and businesses with high daytime usage. We size the array, and add battery storage where it helps, to offset what you'd otherwise buy from the grid.
Ready to Get Started?
Book a free, no-obligation survey and quote for your farm or business premises.