A DUMFRIESSHIRE dairy farm is cutting energy costs and future-proofing its business against rising electricity prices after investing in solar panels.
The MacTaggart family of Rascarrel Farm, Castle Douglas, hope the move will protect their dairy unit from price hikes.
The panels, installed on their cubicle sheds, now generate 25 per cent of the farm’s total electricity needs, significantly lowering their bills.
Matthew MacTaggart farms Rascarrel with his mother, Fiona, and siblings Ewan, Tom, and Rebecca. He said: “With energy costs doubling after installing robotic milkers, solar was a no-brainer. It’s cut our costs and made us less dependent on external energy sources.”
While Scottish Power does not currently allow them to export excess energy back to the grid, Matthew sees further potential to expand their solar setup in the future, particularly for their on-farm holiday lodges. The current system produces 32 kilowatts per hour, with a six-year return on investment based on the panels running at 90 per cent efficiency.
The family received financial support of the Clean Growth Financing Initiative (CGFI) from Bank of Scotland, which funds ‘green’ investments
Advising them was Lewis Carruthers, who takes a holistic approach to planning investments, helping farms identify their strengths and where they can build long-term resilience.
He said: “Find people that have done similar things. Cost it out and look at your return on investment to make sure it’s worthwhile. It’s also got to be right for your business – you’ve got to have an interest in what you’re doing.”
