Newsroom
For farms and agricultural sites with limited grid access, energy availability can directly affect productivity, operational flexibility and long-term growth. In many rural locations, upgrading from a limited single-phase electricity supply to a three-phase grid connection can involve substantial infrastructure costs, long lead times and complex engineering work.
A recent UK off-grid farm project demonstrates how modern solar generation, lithium battery storage and intelligent power management can provide a more practical alternative.
Before shipment to site, a 180kVA Victron Energy inverter system paired with approximately 500kWh of Pytes lithium battery storage successfully completed full load testing. The system is designed to support a farm that currently has access only to single-phase electricity. A conventional upgrade to a three-phase grid connection would have required a multi-million-pound investment, making it financially unviable for the customer.
Instead, the project adopts a complete off-grid energy solution built around solar power, Pytes battery storage, Victron inverter technology and backup generator integration.
•180kVA Victron Energy inverter system
•Approximately 500kWh of Pytes lithium battery storage
•840 × 450W solar panels, providing 378kW of solar generation
•Backup generator integration for year-round resilience
At the core of the system is Pytes V5°α Plus, a second-generation upgrade based on the proven V5° battery platform. The battery system is designed to store solar energy, provide stable power during high-demand periods and support substantial agricultural loads without relying on a costly grid upgrade.
For farms, this type of configuration is especially valuable. Agricultural operations often need to power pumps, refrigeration, processing equipment, ventilation, lighting, workshop tools and other demanding loads. When grid infrastructure is insufficient, battery storage can help bridge the gap between limited local supply and real operational energy needs.
Before the equipment is transported to site, the project team completed full load testing of the 180kVA inverter system and Pytes battery storage.
During the test, the system was pushed to maximum load while every connection point was monitored using thermal imaging. The result was highly positive: temperatures remained around 27°C throughout the testing process, with no significant heat build-up detected.
This testing process is important because large off-grid and agricultural power systems must perform reliably under real operating conditions. Stable thermal performance at full load helps confirm that the system has been correctly designed, assembled and prepared before site deployment.
For Pytes, the result further demonstrates the suitability of its lithium battery storage technology for demanding off-grid applications where reliability, safety and scalability are critical.
The Pytes V5°α Plus is designed for residential, light commercial and scalable energy storage applications. In this project, its modular architecture enables the battery system to be expanded into a large-capacity storage platform suitable for agricultural energy demands.
Key advantages of Pytes V5°α Plus include:
•Enhanced safety features
V5°α Plus includes Emergency Shutdown and an upgraded battery breaker design, helping improve system-level safety and operational control.
•Reliable power output
Each battery provides 3.84kW nominal output power, supporting stable performance for solar storage, backup power and off-grid energy applications.
•Scalable system design
The modular V5°α Plus platform allows system designers to build larger battery storage systems according to the project’s power and energy requirements.
•Wider operating temperature range
With an integrated heating pad, V5°α Plus is better suited to variable environmental conditions, which is particularly important for rural and agricultural installations.
•Flexible installation options
The battery supports multiple enclosure and bracket options, making it suitable for different project layouts and installation environments.
•Optional remote monitoring and upgrading
Optional WiFi-based remote monitoring and upgrading can help installers and system owners manage performance more efficiently over time.
Together, these features make Pytes V5°α Plus a strong choice for off-grid farms, commercial backup power, hybrid solar systems and other projects where dependable battery storage is essential.
The key challenge for this farm was not simply energy consumption. It was infrastructure access.
With only single-phase electricity available, the site could not rely on the existing grid supply to support all required agricultural loads. Upgrading to a three-phase grid connection would have involved extremely high costs. For many farms and rural businesses, this type of grid upgrade can delay expansion plans or make certain operations financially unrealistic.
By combining solar PV, Pytes battery storage, Victron inverter technology and generator backup, the customer gains a more flexible and resilient power system. Solar generation provides renewable energy during the day. Pytes battery storage stores energy for later use and helps support load demand when solar generation is insufficient. The Victron inverter system manages power conversion and system operation, while the backup generator provides additional resilience during extended low-solar periods or exceptional load conditions.
The result is a highly reliable off-grid power solution capable of supporting substantial agricultural loads without requiring an expensive grid infrastructure upgrade.
This project reflects a broader trend in agricultural energy management. As electricity demand grows and rural grid capacity remains limited in many areas, farms are increasingly looking for practical alternatives that combine renewable generation with battery storage.
For installers, distributors and system integrators, projects like this also show how scalable lithium battery storage can unlock new opportunities in off-grid, hybrid and rural commercial applications.
For Pytes, the project demonstrates how its battery storage technology can support real-world energy independence in demanding environments. By delivering scalable storage capacity, stable performance and enhanced safety features, Pytes helps farms and rural businesses move beyond grid limitations and build more resilient energy systems.
This project was designed, built and tested by Callidus Trade, a UK-based Pytes distributor and Victron Energy distributor specializing in solar, battery storage, off-grid and hybrid power systems for professional installers.
A huge thank you to the team involved in the design, build and testing of this project. Their expertise helps demonstrate how modern battery storage, solar generation and intelligent power management can provide practical alternatives where traditional grid infrastructure is not economical.
Yes. In some rural locations, battery storage combined with solar PV, inverters and generator backup can provide a practical alternative to expensive grid infrastructure upgrades, especially when three-phase grid connection costs are financially unviable.
Battery storage helps farms store solar energy, support high-demand loads, improve resilience and reduce dependence on limited grid connections. It is especially useful for farms with pumps, refrigeration, processing equipment, ventilation and other power-intensive operations.
Pytes battery storage stores energy from solar generation and helps provide stable power when demand is high or when solar production is low. In this project, approximately 500kWh of Pytes V5°α Plus battery storage forms the core energy storage platform for the off-grid system.
Solar panels generate renewable energy, battery storage stores and dispatches that energy when needed, and the backup generator provides additional resilience during extended low-solar periods or exceptional load events. Together, they create a more reliable off-grid power system.
