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Agriculture Solar Energy Panels For Your Land
Agriculture solar energy is booming in Idaho. Idaho is well on its way towards becoming one of the fastest-growing solar states. Farmers, Ranchers, and landowners are increasingly realizing that alongside the many environmental benefits renewable energy can provide, there are also significant financial savings to be made. A well-sourced and installed agriculture solar system will last for generations (realistically 30+ years!) and can reduce energy bills by up to 30-40%. Solar power systems also add serious value and desirability to your property – with realtors increasingly reporting that homes capable of providing a portion of their energy consumption receiving a greater level of interest.
Reasons to go Solar
It is no secret that for whatever reason the planet is experiencing a period of environmental instability. Most evidence suggests that our carbon footprint relates to this, which is why federal energy policy is looking ever more towards a cleaner and renewable means of meeting our requirements.
One of the ways it has attempted to encourage people to install their own solar power systems is by offering tax breaks. These are set to expire by 2021 so it has never been more important for people interested in purchasing their own solar generating set up to do so fast. It is unlikely that this incentive will be renewed for at least a decade.
Solar Energy Cuts Electricity Costs
Idaho Farmers & Ranchers, who have a high-quality solar power system installed will stand to save potentially hundreds of thousands on their annual energy bills over time. Quite how much depends on the number of farm panels, size, requirements of the property, battery capacity, and a few other factors – all of which we are experts at advising on.
As with all investments, there is going to be an initial outlay, but it is important to select a panel system that suits your property and personal requirements. Remember that taking advantage of the solar energy investment tax credit shaves a good amount off that baseline figure – and that your installation will also add real-long term value to the property. Agriculture solar energy is an investment that will pay back in the long-term providing it is installed effectively.
Efficient Solar Panels Make For A Better Environment
Solar power is quite simply the cleanest and most reliable source of energy possible. Modern farm panels are far more efficient than those from just a few years ago (we can advise you on the best) and installed equipment produces next to no audible noise. What this means for the residential user is the peace of mind that a good proportion of your energy needs are being met by unbillable self-sufficiency at no detrimental environmental cost whatsoever. Even better, there are no inconveniences involved either.
Most good-quality solar panel systems require very little in the way of maintenance and have a very low failure rate. It is no exaggeration to state that even the most pessimistic farmer should comfortably expect 25 years of minimum service from the systems that we install. If anything, their eventual replacement will be due to advances in panel technology instead of a system failure.
Local Solar Experts
Our team of experts have years of cumulative experience working with farmers, ranchers, landowners, and homebuilders to assess their suitability for solar power. We aim to ensure that any system that we install and provide guidance for is going to generate as much electricity as possible – and we will conduct a thorough property assessment to determine a tailored solution suitable for matching your exact needs.
Part of this will involve examining the property and even if this is old/unsuitable there is a 99% chance that we will find a workaround. Many farmers with older properties find that ground-mounted panels (as found in agricultural solar plants) actually work better anyway as they can be placed in areas away from trees and shade.
Should you be considering or currently in the process of looking for your property, farm, or ranch, then this is the perfect opportunity to install solar panels. We can work directly with you and other associated contractors throughout the process, likely saving considerably on future installation costs and ensuring that when completed your property can be as solar efficient as possible.
Assuming you intend on staying in your property for the next few years, there is a near certainty that solar power will prove to be a fantastic investment, especially with state and federal incentives.
We are a locally owned company capable of covering the whole of Idaho, so should you be interested in discovering more about what agriculture solar energy can do for you, speak to one of our consultants today.
Why Solar Is Fantastic In Idaho
Idaho is a great state for agriculture solar energy systems. Recent forecasts suggest that we are on course to be the highest solar energy producer per capita nationwide within the next couple of years. Three-quarters of this output is currently dedicated/produced by industrial facilities, with residential uptake now increasing by over 60% year on year.
The key to this solar success story is the fact that the weather – and sunshine – is predictably consistent and changes very little year after year. The upside of this predictability is that it makes it much easier to estimate and calculate potential financial savings in the long term – an essential factor when budgeting for any ag system, and one that our team of experts would be delighted to help guide you through.
HAVE SOLAR QUESTIONS?
Our Solar Power Experts Can Help
Solar energy is a technology that promises to improve food production and reduce water use while also creating energy and additional revenue. The solar panels are placed on the same land where crops are grown allowing growers to harvest the power of the sun twice. Solar panels can be positioned to allow plants just the right amount of sunlight and the excess sunlight can be harvested for electricity and produce more electricity than they would without crops below them.
Solar Water Pumping Station
Solar panels can be used to create a solar photovoltaic (SPV) water pumping station. This system uses solar cells for converting energy into electricity. An SPV cell array capacity ranges between 200 watts and 5KW depending on the needs of different water sources.
Solar Machinery
Tractors and lawnmowers powered by solar energy don’t emit toxic fumes. They need to be charged only for a few hours and the battery lasts longer than the gas-fueled ones. For those farmers, who already have machinery, it is possible to convert fuel or electric lawn mowers into solar mowers.
The number of panels needed is determined by the solar system size you have and the wattage of each panel. There is a variety of panels and their capacity, the more capacity the more expensive.
Solar system size x 1000 / panel wattage = # of solar panels
*1000 Watts in a Kw
Let’s use an example, a farmer buys a 20kW solar system and each panel produces 315 watts. The math is
20*1000= 20000/315=64 panels.
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, going solar costs between $0.82 to $1.36 per Watt for a farm. This means that the size of your solar system, the wattage of each panel and your land size will determine the costs. Use this formula to calculate.
Solar system size x 1000 / panel wattage = # of solar panels
*1000 Watts in a Kw
Let’s use an example, a farmer buys a 20kW solar system and each panel produces 315 watts. The math is
20*1000= 20000/315=64 panels.
In solar farms, individual panels are put together to produce electricity. One panel produces 290 kW on average, this multiplied by the hours of sun is the total energy a farm can produce. For better results, farms need single-axis trackers that make them rotate according to the sun’s trajectory. The energy obtained is used to power the equipment that feeds the cattle, milk the cows, dry the crops, keep greenhouses working, and heat buildings.
