Niche sector

Solar PPA for distilleries

Continuous-process heat demand, opportunity for combined heat-pump + PPA stack.

Typical system size	150kWp–1MWp
Year-1 tariff	11–15 p/kWh
Best-fit structure	On-site PPA (sleeved for multi-site groups)

Why a still house is a natural fit for rooftop solar

Distilling is a thermal marathon, not a sprint. Mash conversion, wash and spirit runs, and the condenser cooling that protects cut quality keep pumps, agitators and control gear energised through the working day and frequently overnight. The result is a firm, predictable electrical floor — precisely the steady draw a solar power purchase agreement is designed to feed, because every unit the panels make meets a live load rather than spilling to the grid for a fraction of its worth. Rural distillery sites also tend to have the warehouse roof span, or an adjacent paddock, to carry a serious array.

Typical array size and tariff

We see distillery systems land in the 150kWp to 1MWp range, with contracted tariffs generally sitting at 11–14 p/kWh — comfortably beneath standard commercial grid rates and fixed for the length of the deal. Because your baseline runs high, a large share of daytime generation is consumed on-site, which is where these agreements earn their keep. Our savings calculator will size an array against your annual consumption, and the pricing breakdown shows how that p/kWh figure is arrived at.

The heat-pump prize

The bigger opportunity for distillers sits in process heat. Pairing generation with an industrial heat pump lets you begin electrifying low- and medium-grade heat — hot liquor, CIP cycles, cask-warehouse conditioning — and supply those loads partly from your own kilowatt-hours. That combined stack widens the slice of demand a roof can cover and adds real substance to the sustainability story behind a single malt or craft spirit.

Before you sign, confirm the essentials

• Your overnight baseline — condensers and cooling pumps decide how much you self-consume after dark.
• Roof orientation and remaining structural life across still house, filling store and bond.
• Whether a paddock or car-park canopy could host a ground array if the roof is constrained.

Weigh a self-funded route against a PPA on our comparison page before you commit.

FAQs

Sector FAQs

What's the typical PPA tariff for a distillerie in 2026?

For distilleries, indicative 2026 tariffs are 11–15 p/kWh. Specifics depend on system size, off-taker covenant and DNO context.

What system size suits a typical distillerie?

Typical 2026 systems for distilleries range 150kWp–1MWp. Larger sites suit the upper end of that range.

Why is this sector a good PPA fit?

Continuous-process heat demand, opportunity for combined heat-pump + PPA stack.