How portable solar is reshaping farm power

On a dairy farm in Swan Marsh, Victoria, innovation isn’t coming in the form of bigger machinery or new sheds – it’s arriving in a shipping container.

Inside, a transportable solar microgrid is being integrated into a working dairy operation – offering a glimpse into how Australian farmers are rethinking energy, risk and resilience in an increasingly uncertain environment. 

For dairy farmers Peter and Trish Mulheron, the shift began with a familiar pressure: rising costs and unreliable power. 

“We first looked at solar to try and cut costs,” Peter explains. “But traditional systems didn’t really suit dairy. You’re milking in the dark, so it’s not always cost-effective.” 

Like many farmers, their operation depends on consistent, high-energy processes – particularly hot water systems, one of the largest power demands on farm. At the same time, their location on the edge of the power grid, combined with increasingly frequent weather events, meant outages were becoming more common and longer-lasting. That increased the risk of milk spoilage and costly disruptions. 

“We can have up to 10,000 litres of milk stored at any time. If the power goes out, that’s a significant loss.” 

The solution didn’t come from a supplier – it started with Peter’s son. 

While studying electrical engineering at the University of Melbourne, he became involved with a company developing modular, off-grid renewable systems. They needed a real-world site to test their technology. The Mulheron farm became that proving ground. 

What began as a small pilot quickly evolved.  

“We started by running just our hot water systems for a few months,” Peter says. “From there, they gathered data, refined the design, and built it up.”  

After being trialled across other farms and even a winery, the system was eventually tailored specifically to suit the Mulherons’ operation.  

Unlike traditional fixed solar, the system is designed with farming realities in mind.  

The solar panels fold out on-site and can be deployed in hours. It’s modular – meaning it can be expanded – and critically, it’s portable.  

“If we don’t need it here in the future, we can move it or even on-sell it,” Peter says. 

“That flexibility makes a big difference when you’re thinking about capital investment.”  

The system charges batteries during the day, which then run the dairy – providing stable, consistent power regardless of grid conditions.

Today, the Mulherons are operating completely off-grid.  

“Grid prices just keep increasing. With the battery, we’ve got stable power. It takes away that vulnerability.”  

While cost savings were part of the equation, the bigger shift has been in how the Mulherons think about risk.  

Reliable, independent power reduces exposure not just to price volatility, but to operational disruption – a critical factor in a sector where production is continuous and perishable.  

It’s also why interest in the system is growing well beyond dairy.  
 
“We’ve had a lot of interest from other industries – even shellfish – especially with the fuel challenges at the moment,” Peter says.  

“It would work really well on irrigation farms, where you might need power in different locations.”  

This kind of innovation is increasingly representative of Australian dairy – practical, adaptive and grounded in real on-farm challenges.  

Rather than waiting for perfect solutions, farmers are working with researchers, industry and technology providers to test, refine and implement new approaches that suit their operations.  

For Peter, that hands-on involvement has been critical.  

“It’s important to be part of the design process if you can – to make sure it actually works for your farm.”  

Despite the success, Peter is clear that adopting new technology isn’t without its challenges.  

“The biggest hurdle is trust – there are plenty of people selling solar, and not all of it stacks up,” he says. “You’ve got to do your research and understand what you actually need.”  

As energy markets shift, solutions like this are giving farmers more control over how they power their operations and manage risk.  

For the Australian dairy industry, that’s increasingly important – supporting day-to-day reliability on farm and helping ensure consistent supply to both domestic and export markets. 

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Reducing energy use on farm is one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce farm emissions and costs. Dairy Australia has worked with energy experts to develop resources to support dairy farmers with deciding when and where to target their efforts:  Energy Saving Tips | Dairy Australia