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HEATHER Dean Wright of Ard Cherrymount Stud in Co Westmeath installed solar panels at her equestrian premises in March this year, the main incentive being a desire to reduce energy bills, thereby increasing the efficiency of the business.
The stud has a rooftop system installed consisting of 26 panels on either side of a low-sloping apex stableyard roof, 150 metres in length.
“Before we got the system in, we were consuming just over 20,000kw per year as we have a horse walker, hot water, yard lights, a solarium, and lots of rug washing, plus the house with students often staying,” Heather says. “We also now have a 10 kilowatt battery, which fills up quickly and discharges as the light goes in the evening/night.
Government grants can really help to reduce the initial cost of installation.
Heather received her 60% grant from the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS 3), which provides grants specifically to farmers to help them build or improve farm buildings and equipment on their holding.
She says she expects the investment to pay for itself within two years.
“It does take a lot of preparation applying for grants so you need a helpful company with very good recommendations, as there is a lot you have to do correctly” Heather explains. “As well as our grant application we had to do applications with our electricity provider so that we can feed back to the grid, and you are advised to get in a smart meter, you have to submit a Solar PV Energy Survey, things you should probably do anyway.”
When Heather’s grant was approved at the end of February this year, her installer was ready.
“The installation was very quick and efficient and we were up and running almost immediately” she adds.
Heather thinks that the solar panel system now generates most if not all of the stud’s power, saving on all its electricity bills. Very little maintenance is required, just the occasional wash of the panels – something that can easily be achieved with a hose, although mostly the rain helps to keep most solar panel installations clean naturally.
Contrary to some beliefs, solar panels also work well in winter, being responsive to natural light even when it is overcast.
“March was the beginning and they were great” says Heather. “You still get power on dull days, just not when it gets dark”
Another attraction of solar panels is that you can sell your excess energy to the national grid, earning extra income from this. In some areas, this is problematic due to the poor quality of transformers, but this is not Heather’s experience.
“With our system we seem to be getting credits on our account now which should help going towards the winter,” Heather explains. She adds that she only wanted glass panels and that her installer was totally in agreement with this. With the inclusion of high quality components, the system is now giving great results.
A solar panel system can also add value to your home.
“We already had a good BER rating,” says Heather, “but the solar panels can improve your rating by one category, that’s quite something. In our case it could bring up the value by as much as €40,000.”
The Irish Field and IFA Bord Gáis will stage an information evening on the topic aimed at horse owners on Monday, August 26th, in The Heritage Hotel, Killenard, Co Laois. Entitled ‘Maximising Energy Grants for the Equine Sector’, the event will feature expert advice on solar panels, the finance and potential savings, and details on available grants.
Admission to the event is free, but pre-registration is essential.
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