Vertical double-sided solar panels (as fences) for dairy farms

Dairy Nerd · Aug 10, 2023

I saw this interesting article from Farmer's Weekly about using double-sided solar panels as fences/dividers on an Irish farm:

How dairy’s solar fence captures energy at peak demand - Farmers Weekly

At Kilmeaden Farm in County Waterford, cows graze either side of a 150m fence that runs north to south the length of one of David Foran’s fields. This is

www.fwi.co.uk

Based on the article and the reference projects shown on the installer's website, the east-west facing vertical solar panels can produce two power peaks matching the morning and afternoon milking times. Adding a power diverter for water heating significantly reduced the amount of power exported to the grid resulting in a self-consumption rate of 74% without expensive battery storage. The farmer "installed the system himself with guidance from" the installer presumably saving a bit on the labour cost.

After doing a bit of digging, I found that the concept and product came from a German company Next2Sun. They claim the double-sided panels can yield more energy than south-facing roof-top panels, don't need to be cleaned and are covered with tempered glasses on both sides hence offering a longer 30-year warranty.

I wonder if anyone here has experience with this type of setup and what are your views on such a system.

steveR · Aug 10, 2023

I have long said, that as long as you can utilise the hot water, it is the cheapeast way to "store" the solar output, when not using the power directly. Impressive output over the day and at the two peak usage times.

The system would benefit from a bigger storage tank, and maybe divert a bit for domestic useage, if allowed?

Princess Pooper · Aug 11, 2023

Dairy Nerd said:
I saw this interesting article from Farmer's Weekly about using double-sided solar panels as fences/dividers on an Irish farm:

How dairy’s solar fence captures energy at peak demand - Farmers Weekly

At Kilmeaden Farm in County Waterford, cows graze either side of a 150m fence that runs north to south the length of one of David Foran’s fields. This is

www.fwi.co.uk

Based on the article and the reference projects shown on the installer's website, the east-west facing vertical solar panels can produce two power peaks matching the morning and afternoon milking times. Adding a power diverter for water heating significantly reduced the amount of power exported to the grid resulting in a self-consumption rate of 74% without expensive battery storage. The farmer "installed the system himself with guidance from" the installer presumably saving a bit on the labour cost.

After doing a bit of digging, I found that the concept and product came from a German company Next2Sun. They claim the double-sided panels can yield more energy than south-facing roof-top panels, don't need to be cleaned and are covered with tempered glasses on both sides hence offering a longer 30-year warranty.

I wonder if anyone here has experience with this type of setup and what are your views on such a system.

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Now that's weird I read this post yesterday and I could have sworn it had been posted by someone called 'Solar for Dairy', so I assumed it was a sales pitch.

Jdunn55 · Aug 11, 2023

Princess Pooper said:
Now that's weird I read this post yesterday and I could have sworn it had been posted by someone called 'Solar for Dairy', so I assumed it was a sales pitch.

Yes definitely was, I was thinking the same.

upnortheast · Aug 11, 2023

An expensive fence, prone to damage & shite splatter I would have thought

Dairy Nerd · Aug 11, 2023

It is the same post. Not a sale pitch. I just changed my user name from Solar for Dairy to Dairy Nerd. I am neither related to the installer mentioned in the news nor the German company. I just want to figure out which solar setup would be the best solution for dairy farms here.

I also posted another setup from an American university about solar cow sheds:

Cjm · Aug 11, 2023

upnortheast said:
An expensive fence, prone to damage & shite splatter I would have thought

A very expensive fence! Although in the picture above it looks like it’s about a metre off the ground and has a back fence to stop the stock getting to it. Not really a fence at all but a good idea though

Dairy Nerd · Aug 11, 2023

upnortheast said:
An expensive fence, prone to damage & shite splatter I would have thought

Yes, spreading slurry might be an issue. I wonder how the Irish farmer avoids splatter. Double sided tempered glasses may offer the rigidity and sturdiness.

The primary function of this thing is energy production rather than being a fence. I am mostly attracted to the DIY cost saving and flexibiliy of panel arrangements.

Wesley · Aug 11, 2023

Princess Pooper said:
Now that's weird I read this post yesterday and I could have sworn it had been posted by someone called 'Solar for Dairy', so I assumed it was a sales pitch.

I smell a rat…& it appears to be carrying a big billboard around on its back. So far two threads, both about novel uses for solar panels. Maybe its just a coincidence…

Dairy Nerd · Aug 11, 2023

Not a coincidence, but my next post will be about novel uses of wind turbines.

Cereal Killer · Aug 11, 2023

I read the article in FW last week and thought this 'fence idea' seem quite novel (albeit a dairy farmer would have to be prepared to let solar output dictate their work schedule e.g. milking times and therefore everything else that fits around milking).
But then the more I thought about it the more it seems like a relatively inefficient East /West ground mounted solar setup which because of the vertical angle of the panels reduces the solar output in the middle of the day compared to an East % West roof setup on say a 35° roof angle.
The lost output in the middle of the day is then used as a USP when infact if a roof mounted system would yield more it would offer the opportunity to sell some of the excess as export.
I'm just a farmer looking at it with minimal solar knowledge so I'm happy to be corrected but does a vertical 'fence' layout really increase output v an East / West roof layout in same conditions?

renewablejohn · Aug 11, 2023

Its just a less efficient use of bifacial panels than my fence line set up.

kp_n_plghng · Aug 11, 2023

Milking times don't look good

Dairy Nerd · Aug 12, 2023

Cereal Killer said:
I read the article in FW last week and thought this 'fence idea' seem quite novel (albeit a dairy farmer would have to be prepared to let solar output dictate their work schedule e.g. milking times and therefore everything else that fits around milking).
But then the more I thought about it the more it seems like a relatively inefficient East /West ground mounted solar setup which because of the vertical angle of the panels reduces the solar output in the middle of the day compared to an East % West roof setup on say a 35° roof angle.
The lost output in the middle of the day is then used as a USP when infact if a roof mounted system would yield more it would offer the opportunity to sell some of the excess as export.
I'm just a farmer looking at it with minimal solar knowledge so I'm happy to be corrected but does a vertical 'fence' layout really increase output v an East / West roof layout in same conditions?

Thanks for contributing your thoughts. I have no experience with such a setup hence coming here to ask others, but I found a recent academic research paper comparing energy output from vertical Vs roof-top setups with different orientations:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666955222000211

Here is my impression (might be wrong):
1. East / West roof-top setup would require two panels (mono and bifacial panels have pretty much the same price now)
2. The verticle panels can capture more diffused sunlight during mornings and afternoons (common in regions with overcast weather or in seasons with shorter daylight hours). This results in a prolonged energy production profile.

Dairy Nerd · Aug 12, 2023

Cereal Killer said:
I read the article in FW last week and thought this 'fence idea' seem quite novel (albeit a dairy farmer would have to be prepared to let solar output dictate their work schedule e.g. milking times and therefore everything else that fits around milking).
But then the more I thought about it the more it seems like a relatively inefficient East /West ground mounted solar setup which because of the vertical angle of the panels reduces the solar output in the middle of the day compared to an East % West roof setup on say a 35° roof angle.
The lost output in the middle of the day is then used as a USP when infact if a roof mounted system would yield more it would offer the opportunity to sell some of the excess as export.
I'm just a farmer looking at it with minimal solar knowledge so I'm happy to be corrected but does a vertical 'fence' layout really increase output v an East / West roof layout in same conditions?

3. another argument for this setup is to increase the overall self-consumption of the generated electricity (saving ~30p/unit) rather than exporting it to the grid (earning ~5p/unit). Obviously, if the milking times don't match the output periods, it won't help.

PV & Biomass since 2002 · Sep 1, 2023

I just cant believe that vertical panels, covered in cow shite, are a good use of expensive panels.... whats wrong with old fashioned method of sticking them on a roof, on the very roof above the kit that needs the energy...

Dairy Nerd · Sep 2, 2023

PV & Biomass since 2002 said:
I just cant believe that vertical panels, covered in cow shite, are a good use of expensive panels.... whats wrong with old fashioned method of sticking them on a roof, on the very roof above the kit that needs the energy...

Roof-top panels are difficult to clean and maintain. Covered by snow and production stops. Not all shed roof structures can support that much weight (each 400W panel weighs 25 kg). Ground-mount systems are more suitable for DIY projects which significantly reduces the installation cost and payback time.

steveR · Sep 2, 2023

PV & Biomass since 2002 said:
I just cant believe that vertical panels, covered in cow shite, are a good use of expensive panels.... whats wrong with old fashioned method of sticking them on a roof, on the very roof above the kit that needs the energy...

No need for them to be covered in shite surely>

Agrifool · Sep 4, 2023

Would thieves not dismantle them easily and your investment would walk away ?

Dairy Nerd · Sep 4, 2023

Agrifool said:
Would thieves not dismantle them easily and your investment would walk away ?

It'd be like anything visible on a farm - a tractor, a satnav or some sheep. Not sure if it is a societal problem or a technological problem now.

Vertical double-sided solar panels (as fences) for dairy farms

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