Somerset dairy farmer in hot water with solar system

Somerset organic dairy farmer Peter House is saving energy and cutting costs following the installation of a new solar thermal system at Dyke’s Farm
Somerset organic dairy farmer Peter House is saving energy and cutting costs following the installation of a new solar thermal system at Dyke’s Farm

Somerset organic dairy farmer Peter House is saving energy and cutting costs following the installation of a new solar thermal system at Dyke’s Farm.

The 180 acre farm in Stoke Saint Gregory produces organic milk for Milklink / OMSCO and unpasteurised milk for sale at the farmgate, from 70 milking cows and followers. Like all dairy farms, Dyke’s Farm is facing the challenge of fast-rising input costs set against relatively small increases in milk prices.

The 4kWp solar thermal hot water system is being used to pre-heat the water for cleaning the equipment in the 6/12 herringbone milking parlour at the farm. In addition, a 2.2kWp solar photovoltaic system has been installed to provide solar energy to the farmhouse.

Peter House said: "The solar thermal system raises the temperature of the water by up to 600C during the day and this is then increased overnight using off-peak electricity by two large immersion heaters, ready for cleaning the next day."


Meanwhile the solar PV system is cutting the Dyke’s Farm domestic electricity bill by half when the Feed in Tariff – the Government scheme under which energy suppliers make regular payments to those who generate their own electricity– is taken into account.

Peter House chose Solarsense, based at Backwell near Bristol, to design and install the two systems. Solarsense is the South West’s leading solar energy installer and has installed over 4,500 systems in the region. Last year it installed a 200kWp solar photovoltaic panel system at Worthy Farm, home of the Glastonbury Festival, creating the largest privately-owned solar PV system in the UK at time of installation.

"Solarsense has installed a number of systems in this area and were the only ones I spoke to able to design and install both PV and thermal systems," said Peter.

"We were keen to consider a ’green’ solution when upgrading the water heating system, and of course the financial benefits are welcome but it was always a matter of doing what we felt was the right thing, rather than simply looking to save money.

"I would advise other farmers looking to upgrade their dairy water heating system to consider a solar thermal ’boost’ – and solar PV for domestic use is definitely worth doing," he added.