Solar for Lothians farms, from East Lothian arable to West Lothian livestock

Arable, vegetables and mixed farming

The coastal plain of East Lothian grows wheat, barley, potatoes and vegetables such as leeks and brassicas, often for supermarket supply. Midlothian and West Lothian have more grassland, with beef, sheep and some dairy, plus horse livery and farm businesses serving the city.

Large sheds and stores

Grain stores, vegetable packing sheds and machinery buildings are often big, modern steel structures with plenty of usable roof. Older pantiled steadings in conservation villages need planning checks. Some farms also have space for a ground-mount array beside the yard.

Grid connection

The Lothians are served by SP Energy Networks. Capacity varies across the region, so we check it early and design an export-limited system if needed.

Daytime loads

Grain drying and cooling, vegetable washing and grading, cold stores and workshops are the main users, with livery yards adding lighting and water heating.

Farms close to Edinburgh increasingly add electric vehicle charging for staff, farm vehicles or visitors at a farm shop. Solar can supply part of that charging during the day, and we can plan cable routes and capacity now so chargers can be added later without reworking the system.