Solar PPA for pig farms

2026 indicative PPA profile

Typical system size	100-500kWp
Year-1 tariff	11-14 p/kWh
Year-1 saving	£12k-£60k
Parent sector	Farms & Agriculture

A load built around heat and air

Pig production divides its electricity between two constant jobs: keeping air moving and keeping young stock warm. Farrowing houses and weaner accommodation depend on heat lamps, heated mats and space heating to hold piglets at the right temperature, while every stage of the unit runs mechanical ventilation to manage air quality and ammonia. Feed milling, augering and pressure-washing add to the daytime tally. The upshot is a steady, weather-sensitive demand — heaviest in the cold, ventilation-hungry in the heat — that sits naturally against a solar generation curve.

Stacking solar on the slurry store

What sets a pig unit apart from other livestock is the slurry it produces. A growing number of holdings already run, or are actively planning, anaerobic digestion to convert that slurry into biogas — and a solar PPA layers neatly on top. The panels cover daytime parasitic loads such as ventilation and feed handling, while the AD plant carries baseload and night-time demand. Pairing the two lets a producer decarbonise a far larger share of the unit than either technology manages alone, and because a PPA is provider-funded, the solar half never touches the balance sheet.

The numbers on a housed unit

Roof space across finishing houses, the feed store and the workshop typically supports 100–500 kWp. With the provider owning and maintaining the system, you buy only the units you draw, usually at 11–14 p/kWh, for an annual saving in the region of £12k–£60k depending on herd size and housing type. Start with the mechanics of a PPA, then look at which providers are comfortable structuring combined solar-and-AD agreements before you shortlist. The farm solar overview covers the wider sector.