Business Energy for Agriculture

Most farms use between 25,000 and 100,000 kWh of electricity a year, with large dairy and mixed operations exceeding 150,000 kWh. In cost terms, a medium livestock or dairy farm typically spends £1,485 to £3,150 a month on total energy.

It depends on the enterprise. Dairy is driven by milking and milk cooling, poultry and pigs by ventilation and heating, and horticulture by lighting and glasshouse heat. Red diesel still powers most machinery, but the electricity and gas in your fixed buildings are where switching saves money.

Often, yes. Because a lot of farm demand falls during daylight, on-site solar PV and wind can offset up to 40% of electricity costs, and you can export surplus power. Around half of UK farms have yet to invest, so there is real headroom. We can factor generation into your strategy.

It depends on use. Energy for the farmhouse, as a domestic dwelling, is charged at the reduced 5% rate, while energy for the agricultural business is normally 20% unless usage is very low. Mixed-use supplies need the split applied correctly, and getting it wrong can mean overpaying. We check this for you.

A fixed-rate contract usually suits farms well, locking in your unit rate and standing charge so you can budget through the seasons. For sites with significant solar, we will factor your generation in so you only buy what you actually need.

Yes. Farms with multiple holdings, buildings or sites can consolidate onto one supplier, with one bill and one renewal date, even where contracts currently end on different dates. The combined volume can unlock a better rate and cuts admin.

Reliable supply is critical when livestock ventilation or milk cooling cannot go down. Switching supplier does not affect your physical supply at all, and for high-dependency sites we can talk through backup and resilience options as part of your wider energy plan.

It depends on your usage, contract and VAT treatment, but farms on out-of-contract or default rates, or with the wrong VAT split, are often overpaying. The quickest way to find out is to compare with your postcode or speak to an agriculture specialist.