Solar Panels for Farm
If you’re a farmer in Arkansas, you’re likely always looking for ways to cut costs and increase profits. One way to do this is by investing in solar panels for your farm. Solar panels for your farm are a cost-effective energy solution that can help you save money on your energy bills and reduce your reliance on non-renewable energy sources.
Benefits of Solar Panel for Farms
One of the biggest benefits of solar panel for farms is that they can significantly reduce your energy costs. Once installed, solar panels generate electricity from the sun’s energy for free, helping you save money on your energy bills. Plus, since solar panel farms require minimal maintenance, they’re a low-cost solution for businesses in Arkansas.
Funding Your Solar Panels
Investing in solar panels for your farm can also make your business eligible for tax credits and rural energy grants. The federal government offers a tax credit for solar panel installations, which can help offset the initial installation costs. In addition, rural energy grants are available to businesses in rural areas that are looking to invest in renewable energy sources like solar panel farms. These grants can provide a significant amount of funding to help cover the cost of installation and make solar panel farms a more affordable option for businesses in rural Arkansas. To learn more about tax credits and rural energy grants for solar panel farms, contact us today. Our team can help you navigate the application process and find the funding opportunities that are available to your business.
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Investing in Your Farm’s Future with Solar
Investing in solar for your farm is a smart way to secure your business’s future. Although the initial installation costs may seem daunting, the long-term savings on energy costs can quickly add up. Plus, as the cost of solar panels continues to decrease, placing solar panels on your farm is becoming an increasingly affordable option for farmers in Arkansas.
FAQ From Energy.Gov
Silicon-based PV cells are the most widespread solar photovoltaic technology used. Most solar panels have a glass front that protects the PV cell and an aluminum or steel frame. Research shows that “leaching of trace metals from modules is unlikely to present a significant risk due to the sealed nature of the installed cells.”
Some solar modules use cadmium telluride (CdTe). Cadmium compounds are toxic, but studies show that such compounds cannot be emitted from CdTe modules during normal operation or even during fires. Industrial incineration temperatures, which are much higher than grassfires, are required to release the compounds from the modules.
Solar modules will actually cool crops and vegetation underneath during the day due to shading, and keep them warmer at night. Studies have shown that these temperature differences cancel out and that mean daily crop temperatures were similar under modules compared to full sun crops and there was no impact on crop growth rates. Modules can provide farmers the ability to grow shade-tolerant crops and to diversify crop selection, while also extending growing seasons and reducing water requirements. One study found that shading from solar modules produced lettuce crop weight equal to or greater than lettuce grown in full sun.
Yes, solar can power irrigation equipment. Solar can offset power required for pumping and provide power to remote irrigation systems, requiring no grid connection. Solar irrigation pumps are currently in use in Africa, South America, and India.
Solar can be installed in flood plains, but all electrical equipment will have to be installed above the projected level of flooding. Raising equipment could increase the cost of installation and may negatively impact the project economics. Also, the cost of insurance will be higher for PV systems in a flooding area. An area that will not be flooded may be better suited for PV installation.
Solar systems can be installed on marginal or salt-degraded land or at the margins of fields where no farming occurs. If there is a desire to grow crops underneath and in between solar modules, smaller tractors or hand management are options. There is no one-size-fits-all solar design and developers should account for land and farming needs in the design process.
