The comparison in 2026
Larger UK farms with significant slurry, food waste, or energy-crop production sometimes consider anaerobic digestion (AD) as an alternative or complement to solar PV.
Detailed comparison
AD plants: typical capex £1m-£5m+ for commercial-scale farm AD; generates biogas (used for CHP electricity + heat or grid injection); FiT closed to new AD but RHI was available until 2022 for heat applications; ongoing operational cost significant (feedstock handling, plant operation, AD digestate management); 12-15 year payback typical. Solar PV: typical capex £25,000-£500,000+; no ongoing fuel or operational complexity; 4.5-7 year payback. AD remains attractive for farms with the right scale and waste-stream economics (typically 200+ cow dairy plus arable feedstock; or large pig units with substantial slurry). Solar PV is attractive across virtually every UK farm scale. Hybrid: many existing AD plants are adding rooftop solar PV on the AD plant buildings — solar handles auxiliary electrical loads (mixers, pumps, control systems) at near-zero marginal cost while AD handles primary energy generation.
How to decide for your farm
The right answer depends on the farm's specific electrical and heat demand profile, available capital, planning context, and long-term strategic priorities. We model multi-technology scenarios as part of any farm feasibility study where the farm is considering more than just solar PV. Send us your half-hourly meter data, fuel-use history, and a brief on planned operational changes — we deliver a multi-technology comparison within 10 working days.
For most UK farms in 2026 with primarily electrical demand, solar PV is the clear winner on speed-to-commissioning, planning simplicity, and payback. Other technologies (wind, biomass, heat pumps, AD) make sense in specific scenarios. The hybrid case — solar PV plus complementary technology — is increasingly common as farms decarbonise both electrical and heat-intensive operations.
Common questions
Can we install solar AND wind?
Yes — hybrid solar+wind is increasingly common on larger holdings. The technologies complement each other (solar peaks during day with high irradiance; wind generates throughout day and night based on wind conditions). Combined hybrid economics are usually stronger than either technology standalone for farms with appropriate scale.
Which technology has the easiest planning approval?
Solar rooftop PV on agricultural buildings — typically Permitted Development under Class A Part 14 GPDO 2015. No formal planning permission required for most installations. Wind, biomass, and AD all typically require full planning permission.
Does solar work for high-temperature heat applications?
Solar PV generates electricity; for high-temperature heat (above 80°C — beyond heat pump capability), direct heat technologies (biomass, gas, oil) are more economic. For typical farm heat applications (60-80°C — dairy parlour washdown, building space heating), solar PV + heat pump combination is increasingly the standard approach.
What's the simplest farm decarbonisation route in 2026?
For most UK farms, the simplest route is: 1. Rooftop solar PV on farm buildings (covers electrical baseload). 2. Battery storage if seasonal/peak demand mismatch (covers operational timing). 3. EV charging infrastructure for farm fleet (replaces diesel). 4. Heat pump for any direct-heat applications. This sequence delivers strong economics, planning simplicity, and progressive decarbonisation.