Agricultural
Farm Solar in Co. Cork
Solar PV for dairy, beef and tillage farms — installed by our own local crews, grants handled end to end
ProSolar has completed over 150 installations across Co. Cork, and much of our farm work is here — dairy country from the Blackwater valley to Carbery, with shed roofs made for solar and milking loads that match daytime generation almost perfectly.
Our own installation staff work throughout the county — no subcontractors — backed by Kieran, our Kerry-based agri specialist for surveys and grant advice.
Meet Kieran and Ronan, our agri solar specialists. Kieran is based here in Kerry and looks after farms across Kerry, Cork, West Cork and Limerick — real farm surveys walked in person, honest grant advice, and systems designed around how your farm actually uses power.
The Grants, Honestly
On paper the TAMS 3 solar scheme pays 60% — but fewer than 1 in 10 applications now succeed, with the ranking favouring young farmers, female farmers and partnerships that include one. For everyone else, the SEAI Non-Domestic grant has become the practical route: no ranking, no lottery, and much faster. We’ll tell you plainly which one fits your farm — read our full TAMS 3 guide for the details.
What Solar Actually Does on a Cork Farm
Cork is Ireland’s biggest dairy county, and its parlours are getting bigger and hungrier — larger bulk tanks, plate coolers, automatic scrapers and washdown systems all pulling power daily. That scale is exactly what makes solar sums work: the bigger your daytime load, the more of your own generation you use at full value. From east Cork tillage to West Cork’s dairy heartland, we’ve installed across the county — 150+ ProSolar installations and counting.
The awkward truth about dairy farms and solar is that milking happens at the edges of the day while solar peaks in the middle — and any installer who doesn’t bring that up isn’t designing honestly. The good news: the middle of the day is exactly when water heating, bulk tank cooling and plate coolers are working, and a well-designed system diverts surplus power into hot water — one of the biggest energy costs in any parlour. With smart diverting, most livestock farms self-use a healthy share of what they generate, and an export connection earns credit for the rest.
Worked example: 150-cow dairy, Co. Cork
A 150-cow parlour typically suits around 30 kWp: an SEAI grant of €8,600, roughly 28,500 units a year, with surplus power heating wash water through the middle of the day and export credit on the rest. Ask for the exact version for your herd and roofs — the survey is free.
Quick Estimator: What Would Solar Look Like on Your Farm?
Enter your approximate annual electricity spend and we’ll estimate a sensible system size, your SEAI grant, and annual generation. (Indicative only — a free farm survey gives you exact figures.)
Common Questions from Farmers
Milking happens morning and evening — will I even use the power?
Yes, if the system is designed for it. Water heating and milk cooling run through the day, and a hot-water diverter turns midday surplus into the hottest wash water you’ve ever had for free. What’s left exports for bill credit. We design around your actual usage pattern — that’s the point of the survey.
Should I wait for TAMS?
Honestly: for most farmers, no. TAMS solar approvals have become rare, and waiting for a tranche that may not come has a real cost in electricity you keep buying. The SEAI Non-Domestic grant is available now, with no ranking and no lottery. Our TAMS guide covers both routes honestly.
My shed roof is old — can it take panels?
Usually, but we check rather than assume: panel loading is modest, and we assess the structure as part of the survey. One honest caveat — older asbestos-cement roofs need proper assessment before any roof work, and we’ll tell you straight if a roof isn’t suitable rather than mount on it anyway.
How long does the install take?
Typically 1–3 days on site for a farm system, scheduled around milking — our crews are farm people and they know not to arrive at 7am through the cows.
As featured in the Irish Farmers Journal — in print and online (read our piece on when panels make their power) — and on Agriland: saving energy while milking cows.
Why Farmers Choose ProSolar
- Our own installation crews based in Kerry, Cork and West Cork — no subcontractors
- Free farm survey — designed around your roofs, your usage and your connection
- All paperwork handled — grants, certification and ESB Networks notification
- Installed around farm life — scheduled to avoid milking, typically 1–3 days on site
Start With a Free Farm Survey
Call 064 770 2000 or request a free quote and our agri team will assess what solar is worth to your farm — and which grant will actually get you there.
Home solar instead? See solar panels in Co. Cork.
Farm solar in nearby counties: West Cork · Co. Kerry · Co. Waterford — or see all our agricultural solar services.
Not a farm? See commercial solar in Co. Cork.