A solar farm is a type of farming where a business is set up around generating profit from selling solar energy to the national grid.
Solar farms work by the combination of various solar panels in series to form a large solar array for generating electricity, storing electricity, and selling electricity to the national grid.
They work by generating large quantities of electricity – far more than a single domestic solar panel setup can – to make them not only economical to run but profitable.
How Big Does A Solar Farm Need To Be?
Solar farms can be anywhere from an acre in size to dozens of acres in size, depending on the number of panels and land area a business has at its disposal.
The smallest solar farms will need not just enough area to house several hundred solar panels, but also enough space to construct small shelters to store batteries and capacitors for storing the energy they generate.
If a full acre is dedicated to housing solar panels, then, upon average, it is estimated that one acre full of solar panels can generate around 351 MWh of energy per year. This is an average and may fluctuate depending on the number of panels and the amount of sunlight available.
How Profitable Is A Solar Farm?
Solar farms vary in terms of the profit they can generate. However, on average, they can generate around £17,000 – £34,000 per acre per year. This assumes that the panels are working at peak capacity.
Again, these are only estimates, and the reality may be much lower – especially in cloudy countries such as the UK.
How Much Does A Solar Farm Cost?
Solar farms will need a fair amount of capital to set up but have huge returns after they are fully operational.
The cost of a solar farm will largely depend on the brand of solar panel you buy and the technology you purchase. For instance, a setup with solar optimisers and voltage optimisers will be more expensive than a setup without them.
On average, it costs around £330,000 to £412,000 per acre.
It is also worth noting that the labour, maintenance, planning permissions, and legal processes for setting up one acre may add to this cost.
What Can I Do To Start A Solar Farm?
Starting a solar farm is not an easy endeavour, and bringing on the advice and guidance of solar tech experts is essential to making the most of your land and prospects. Running a profitable solar farm begins with detailed planning and ends with flawless implementation into your existing business or farm.
At Smartly, we have an extraordinary team of experts that can help you make an informed purchasing decision using our specialist knowledge of solar tech as well as offering great-value solar products.