In rural Carmarthenshire, Ben Anthony and his partner Diana Fairclough launched a new £2 million free-range poultry enterprise at Frowen Farm near Llanboidy. Their 16-hectare (40-acre) site was developed to house 32,000 free-range hens and included a purpose-built muck store, forming a cornerstone of their long-term agricultural vision.
Initially, they planned to connect to a three-phase electricity supply to power the new site. However, they faced a three-year minimum wait and significant infrastructure upgrade costs. With day-old chicks due to arrive by the end of January, they urgently needed a power solution that could be deployed immediately.
Solution
AM Power proposed and rapidly installed a comprehensive off-grid renewable energy system centred around solar power and battery storage. Within one week, a 125kW roof-mounted solar array and 150kWh battery storage system were in place and fully operational—eliminating the need for grid connection and allowing for expanded panel capacity on the roof.
The system was designed for future scalability and includes:
- 150kWh of battery storage
- 60kW of three-phase inverter output (expandable to 90kW)
- 45kW MPPT DC-to-DC charger (expandable)
- 60kW of AC-coupled inverters (3 x 20kW Fronius 3ph)
- 300 PV panels (415W each)
- 14kW AC-DC single-phase battery charging (mains top-up)
- Dual electro-mechanical changeover switches for generator and system failover
At a cost of £247,000, the system offered a robust and cost-effective alternative to grid connection – avoiding the estimated £90,000 cost of a three-phase upgrade and sidestepping long delays.
Outcome
The investment is projected to deliver a full return within six years, while providing energy independence and resilience against rising energy prices and power outages.
“We didn’t have three-phase power, and upgrading would’ve cost £90,000, so the figures stacked up better when we factored that in. Plus, the renewables protect us from rising energy costs and power cuts.” – Ben Anthony
The system has exceeded expectations. Just over a year since the first eggs were laid at Frowen, Ben and Diana are now preparing to double their battery storage capacity to 300kWh, further enhancing the site’s off-grid capability and future-proofing their growing business.