Our offices based near Hatton of Fintray in the north east of Scotland seem an unlikely place to have a totally off grid System as your only source of electricity but that is exactly what we have. The system has totally free, clean energy for 10 months of the year and for the remaining two months gets by on a standby generator that recharges the batteries once every three to six days depending on how much sun there is. The generator typically runs for less than three hours at a time. The solar panels are ground mounted which is easier for cleaning and snow clearance in the winter months, and yes the system will still work when there is snow about as long as it isn’t covering the panels – snow is highly reflective of sunlight and can have quite a positive effect on production levels.
Solar panels still working when cleared of snow.
The system powers the office for us – Austens Energy and central processing area for Berwick Wood Produce a small local Food provider/Farm. The farm has one hectare of market garden and approximately 1/2 hectare of indoor production sites including a poly tunnel, 3 x caterpillar tunnel and a green house for germination with electrically heated beds. All of which need irrigation from the onsite borehole well. Taking 5000 litres a day when in full swing. not only that but also powering the refrigeration unit and 600 litre freezer. There is also the EV charge point located in the barn for Berwick Woods delivery van. So for ten months of the year there is no cost for electricity and the van is also filled up for free too. The system could be made more resilient to the seasons by the addition of more solar panels and with more batteries for storage would give even more days of autonomy – days with no input from either solar, generator or grid. Also regular clearance and restocking of the woodland stock would give less shading and prolong the solar generation period for this area.
Berwick Woods delivery van being charged up during the winter period 2023/24.
Systems
Solar Panels Solar panels harness energy from the sun and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. This is the same type of electricity stored in batteries. The efficiency, size, and orientation of the panels significantly impact the system’s […]
Systems
The project involved a significant upgrade to the energy storage system at Inverness-shire Farm. The primary goal was to increase the farm’s energy storage capacity and improve its energy efficiency. This was achieved by doubling […]
Take control of your energy future! Imagine generating clean, reliable power for your home with an off-grid solar system. Austen's Energy can help you explore the possibilities.