Agriculture

agriculture

Farming the Sun

Renewable Energy for Sustainable Agriculture

The high demand for energy in the US agriculture industry has a significant impact on farmer profits, with increasing costs affecting their bottom line. However, with many types of specialized equipment used in farming, there are ample opportunities for energy efficiency. Furthermore, many farms have favorable site conditions for solar panels and other renewable generation systems.

If you're in the agricultural sector, nXsus Solartron, can help you reduce your energy costs through their team of experts who specialize in designing solar energy systems and impressive efficiency measures and generation systems for various types of farms. Their focus areas include solar energy in agriculture, where farms have access to numerous renewable resources to better utilize land, reduce energy costs and minimize carbon footprint.

Most farming operations are located away from urban areas, there are no tall buildings to block sunlight, making solar panels a viable option for generating electricity. Solar panels can also be used in grazing areas, providing shade for livestock while generating electricity.

Integrated

Solartron Solutions

By leveraging solar energy opportunities in agriculture, farmers can reduce their reliance on traditional energy sources, increase their energy independence, and contribute to a more sustainable future.

The word “agriculture” is often associated with harvesting crops. However, agribusiness is a very broad sector that covers many industrial activities and facilities. This includes many energy-intensive processes, such as:

  • Pumping for irrigation, aquaculture, milk processing, etc.
  • Grain drying and silo ventilation
  • Greenhouse heating
  • Outdoor and facility lighting
  • Crushing and separation for vineyards
  • Refrigeration and heating in general

Solar Energy

for Dairy Farms

According to University of Wisconsin research, dairy farms have an average electricity usage of 800-1200 kWh per cow per year. However, one study found dairy farms consuming over 1700kWh per cow.

This electricity consumption is broken down as follows:

  • 46% for milk harvesting, which includes vacuum pumps, milk cooling and water heating.
  • 46% for lighting and ventilation systems
  • 8% for other purposes, such as feeding and manure handling
  • Milk cooling is the largest electricity expense in most barns, representing 25% of consumption.
  • Lighting is also a major expense, representing 17% of consumption in tie-stall barns and up to 26% in free-stall barns.
  • Ventilation accounts for around 22% of energy consumption in both barn configurations.
solar dairy farm

Solar

Farms

One of the reasons that croplands, grasslands and wetlands have such good potential for solar farming is that solar panels need the same conditions as agricultural crops: plentiful sun, light winds, moderate temperatures and low humidity.

Solartron’s Elevated dual axis tracker systems gather abundant free energy that is available without losing the valuable grazing land and grasses and pastures benefit from increased moisture retention

Solar light

Compared with residential and commercial buildings, energy efficiency requires a different approach in the agriculture sector. Reducing energy consumption is important, but agribusinesses are also focused on increasing yield per unit of energy consumed. In many cases, a higher energy consumption makes sense if yield increases by a higher proportion.

According to the Extension Foundation, US farms doubled their energy efficiency in 25 years from 1994 to 2019. However, there are still plenty of opportunities to save energy. Many lighting systems are outdated metal halide fixtures that could be replaced with solar LEDs, and many facilities have old electric motors with low efficiency and no speed control.

There is also an opportunity to improve energy efficiency in farm housing, which can use the same measures that are common in urban homes – efficient HVAC, insulation, air sealing, etc.

Since the agriculture industry is so broad, we will provide an overview of energy efficiency measures for specific subsectors and installations:

  1. Dairy farms
  2. Grain drying
  3. Irrigation
  4. Potato storage
  5. Aquaculture
  6. Greenhouses
  7. Maple syrup production
  8. Lighting systems

The University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU) both have energy efficiency programs for the agriculture sector, part of their Division of Extension. They have studied the energy performance of many types of equipment and facilities, and their research covers the areas listed above.

Sheep and Solar

Sheep work so well alongside solar that farmers in America, who haven’t traditionally reared many sheep, are turning to them for the first time to go with their solar parks. Sheep can graze on the weeds and other plants that might grow and block the sun from reaching the panels, eliminating the need for mowers and weed whackers that use fossil fuels or herbicides.

The American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) reports that New York State currently has 900 acres of solar energy-producing land being grazed, and there's still room for growth. Todd Schmit, an associate professor of Agribusiness at Cornell University, has received funding from the USDA and Cornell to expand the solar-sheep practice through the creation of either a business cooperative or producer-owned organization. And the shade cast by the panels maintains a higher moisture content in the pastureland which results in heavier meat production from the sheep grazing the richer grasses.

sheep and solar

Solar Programs That Benefit

Farmers & Ranchers

  1. USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP): REAP provides financial assistance to farmers and rural businesses to install renewable energy systems, including solar panels. This program can help offset the cost of installing solar panels, making it more accessible for farmers and ranchers to adopt renewable energy.
  2. Net Metering: Net metering allows farmers and ranchers to receive credit for the excess electricity their solar panels produce. This means that they can sell any unused electricity back to the grid, reducing their energy bills and potentially generating additional income.
  3. Solar Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC): The ITC provides a tax credit of 30% for solar installations, reducing the cost of installing solar panels. This tax credit can be especially beneficial for farmers and ranchers who have high energy demands.
  4. Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP): The RESP provides low-interest loans to rural electric cooperatives, which can then be used to help their customers (including farmers and ranchers) finance energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects, such as solar installations.
  5. Community Solar: Community solar programs allow farmers and ranchers to invest in shared solar installations, which can provide energy savings and potential revenue through credits or dividends.

These are just a few examples of Solartron assistance programs that can benefit Texas farmers and ranchers. The specific programs available may vary depending on location and eligibility requirements.

Scroll to Top