Solar for farms: irrigation, dairies and cold storage

A farm’s energy bill is dominated by a few big machines: irrigation pumps, dairy vacuum pumps and milk cooling, grain dryers and cold rooms. Many of them run in daylight or can be scheduled to, which is exactly when solar produces. That makes farms one of the more natural fits for commercial solar, with a catch: the load is often seasonal, and the network connection is often the hard part.

This guide covers matching solar to farm loads, the finance and incentives we could verify, ground-mount versus shed roof, and what to ask before you sign. For the farm-specific overview, see our solar for farms page.

Which farm loads suit solar?

Pumping during the day is the simplest win. If you can shift irrigation to sunlit hours, with timers or variable speed drives, you use solar directly instead of buying power from the grid. If your pump needs to run at night, solar alone will not cover it, and a battery or a change in schedule becomes part of the conversation. The batteries guide explains what a commercial battery can and cannot do.

Is there a grant for solar on farms?

We did not find a farm-specific solar grant that we could verify as open as of 31 October 2026. That does not mean none exists, because state agriculture departments change programs often, but we cannot name one. Check your state agriculture department and rural assistance authority directly.

What we could verify:

QRIDA Sustainability Loan

The QRIDA Sustainability Loan is open to primary producers and commercial wild-catch fishers with an existing Queensland-based primary production business. Eligible uses include solar, refrigeration systems, lighting and pumps. Batteries are not mentioned on the page. The loan is up to $1.3 million, security must be provided in proportion to the loan (usually a mortgage), and applications are assessed up to 30 June 2027 or until the lending is fully committed. QRIDA’s grants and rebates list did not show a current farm solar or battery rebate when we checked.

NSW business battery discount

NSW’s batteries-for-businesses incentive is for batteries between 20 kWh and 30 MWh at businesses that are not residential buildings or data centres. The state’s announcement of the discount gives a medium-business example of a dairy farm saving around $355,000, but does not state the battery size, so do not read that as a typical result. The page says the discount is indicative and depends on installer, location, battery model and building design. For batteries from 20 kWh to 200 kWh a minimum payment applies, and larger batteries do not require one but must pass fire safety standards and use a licensed installer. Our guide to the NSW business battery discount goes through it.

How do mid-scale certificates help larger farm systems?

Many farm systems are 100 kW or more. The Clean Energy Regulator says mid-scale solar includes systems between 100 kW and 1 MW, with a fixed five-year deeming period. The rules apply to systems installed from 1 October 2026, and applications to create certificates are expected to open in mid to late November 2026. If you choose small-scale certificates (STCs) for a mid-scale system, you cannot create REGO certificates for the deeming period.

The regulator’s transitional guidance also says an extension to an existing system can qualify for the additional capacity only. For example, an existing 80 kW system expanded by 40 kW may be treated as a 120 kW system, with fixed five-year certificates applying to the extra 40 kW. Our mid-scale solar guide explains the rules, and the STC calculator gives a starting estimate for smaller systems.

If your system is the size of one of our standard pages, see 100 kW, 200 kW or 500 kW.

Ground-mount or shed roof?

Shed roofs are usually cheaper because the structure already exists, but they depend on the roof’s age, material and strength. Ground-mount systems can face the best direction and avoid roof limits, but cost more, use land and need clearance from stock and machinery. Solar Choice’s September 2026 price survey states its averages exclude ground-mounting, grid protection and grid connection studies, so a ground-mount farm quote will be above those figures.

What can go wrong on a rural network?

Rural connections often have less spare capacity than suburban ones, and the network may limit how much you can export or require protection equipment above a certain size. We have not verified the rules for specific rural networks, so the safest step is to contact your network early and ask what limits apply to your connection. Our guide to commercial solar grid connection covers the usual process and thresholds.

What to sort out first

Start with the bills and interval data, then check the network, then the roof or ground, then the incentives. An example shows why. Suppose a 22 kW irrigation pump runs eight hours a day for 100 days in a season. That is 17,600 kWh in the season (22 × 8 × 100). This is an illustration with assumed figures, not a typical farm. If the pump runs in daylight, solar can cover it directly, but a system sized for that season may sit mostly idle in winter unless other loads use the power.

When you are ready, use the commercial solar calculator or request business quotes, and read our guide to choosing an installer and comparing quotes first.

This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rules, rebates and prices change, so check the linked sources before you decide. Facts checked 31 October 2026.