A Daventry farm has become one of the first businesses in the UK to trial an innovative battery system which would enable electricity from solar panels to be stored and then sold back to the National Grid, potentially increasing returns for greener companies.
The low carbon pilot project will see farmer Sue Harrison working in partnership with power firm Opus Energy to test the new technology, which has just been installed at family-run Home Farm in Braunston, Northamptonshire.
Solar panels on the cattle shed at the farm, which produces Aberdeen Angus beef as well as lamb, currently provide power to the farmhouse and the marquee from which they run their successful wedding business, which is already fully booked until 2020.
As the 50 kW panels generate more power than is consumed by the farm, the extra electricity is exported to the National Grid, and Sue and her family are paid for it by Opus Energy through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) – known as ‘prosuming’.
Experts at Opus Energy say the new battery technology being trialled at Home Farm, if successful, could open up revenue streams for businesses as it would allow excess electricity to be stored and then sold back to the grid when it is needed the most, therefore commanding a higher price.
Read more: East Midlands Business Link