Solar Power on Dairy Farms
Solar power is being used in many settings in today’s world. Working on a dairy farm has opened my eyes to the potential for solar efficiency in the farming world. Dairy farms are huge energy consumers because of their size and the need to cater to hundreds of animals. Dairy farms generally consume about 800-1200 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cow per year. This average continues to increase as operations become larger in size and routine procedures on the farm take place 24/7 (Managing Energy Costs in Dairy Farm Facilities, 2010). The electricity bill on a dairy farm comes from running the lights in the barn, using grain conveyers to feed grain, silos, refrigeration of the milk, the milking parlor, and water heaters, to name a few. 50% of this cost comes directly from operating equipment associated with the milking parlor. The other 50% comes from lighting and ventilation from barn fans and other equipment (Managing Energy Costs in Dairy Farm Facilities, 2010). This amounts to a large cost for the farmer each month on top of other expenses that they are incurring to keep their farm operational. Anaerobic methane digesters are one way that farmers can offset their energy costs. These machines work by creating energy from the methane in cow manure. Although many farms can generate profit from these systems, they are expensive to install and smaller farms often do not have the space and resources for them.
Solar panels can be installed in many locations, and they do not take up space around the farm. Freestall roofs provide a large area where there is potential for solar power to be utilized. Panels can easily be installed on these large areas on barn roofs and the energy produced can be used to directly run the electrical needs on the farm. However, barn roofs are not always ideal locations for solar. In Vermont, many farms contain older barns that have roofs that cannot support the weight of lots of solar panels. These roofs can be reinforced, but this adds to the overall cost of the project. If the roofs do not face in the correct direction, they can also be inefficient locations for panels. The ideal roof for solar panels is a south-facing roof. This allows for maximum exposure to the sun from sunrise to sunset. This makes some farms great candidates for roof solar systems while it limits the efficiency for others.
On the dairy farm I work on, all of the barn roofs face directly east and west because the barns face north to south lengthwise. Therefore, it would be difficult to obtain maximum solar efficiency. Also, all of the facilities at the farm are older, with the exception of the milking parlor. As a result, the roofs would most likely need reinforcing to accommodate the panels. This may not be cost effective. Instead, panels could be installed in open areas where they can be erected in a south-facing direction. Many farmers immediately look away from this concept because they need the farmland for cropping purposes. However, solar panels can be strategically positioned to allow agricultural equipment to work around it. For example, the distance between the rows of panels can be increased to accommodate tractors and haying equipment. The height of the panels from the ground can also be increased to allow clearance for larger tractors and implements. Furthermore, cattle can also graze around solar panels. Solar panels can be mounted on livestock-tough metal poles so that cows can graze right up to the panels without bending or damaging the supports or their components. Therefore, there are ways to use field space for solar power (Solar PV on a Dairy Farm).
Is it worth it? The investment for solar panels is huge, and it takes time to pay it off. However, dairy farms around the state are making it work. McKnight Farm, an organic dairy farm in East Montpelier, Vermont recently invested in a large solar array to generate all of the electricity for the farm. This investment cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they received help from local programs that means their expected payback period is about six years. The farm obtained a $255,000 loan from the VEDA agricultural loan organization. They also are eligible for a federal tax credit of $85,620. The panels produce 120,000 kWh annually, meaning that the farm will receive $25,200 from the electrical company as a result of net metering. After about 6 years, this farm will see a profit from the energy that they produce (Solar PV on a Dairy Farm).
Solar power on farms has great potential for today’s dairy farmers. A six-year investment is a much shorter-term investment than purchasing some of the equipment required to run a farm. A solar array can be a 30+ year venture, and after six years, the electricity is free. For example, if the McKnight Farm has a $25,000 electricity bill annually, and after six years, they don’t have to pay the panels off, for the next 24 years, they are gaining 25k each year to put towards other expenses and improvements. 24 years later, they are $600,000 dollars ahead.
$600,000 dollars can buy a brand new forage harvester, it can replace a small freestall, or it can go towards a new milking parlor or cow comfort improvements. So, why do farmers not “Chomp at the bit?” The initial investment can be scary for farms, especially with recent fluctuation in milk prices. Some farms are not in ideal locations for solar, or they do not want to lose farmland to solar panels. Other farmers simply do not like the looks of the panels on their land.
Overall, solar power is a great alternative for dairy farmers looking to eliminate their electricity costs. It is a big jump to become involved in solar, but after the initial down payment, the money starts to flow back into the farmer’s pocket. Any farm that can should make the jump to solar power.
Solar power is being used in many settings in today’s world. Working on a dairy farm has opened my eyes to the potential for solar efficiency in the farming world. Dairy farms are huge energy consumers because of their size and the need to cater to hundreds of animals. Dairy farms generally consume about 800-1200 kilowatt-hours of electricity per cow per year. This average continues to increase as operations become larger in size and routine procedures on the farm take place 24/7 (Managing Energy Costs in Dairy Farm Facilities, 2010). The electricity bill on a dairy farm comes from running the lights in the barn, using grain conveyers to feed grain, silos, refrigeration of the milk, the milking parlor, and water heaters, to name a few. 50% of this cost comes directly from operating equipment associated with the milking parlor. The other 50% comes from lighting and ventilation from barn fans and other equipment (Managing Energy Costs in Dairy Farm Facilities, 2010). This amounts to a large cost for the farmer each month on top of other expenses that they are incurring to keep their farm operational. Anaerobic methane digesters are one way that farmers can offset their energy costs. These machines work by creating energy from the methane in cow manure. Although many farms can generate profit from these systems, they are expensive to install and smaller farms often do not have the space and resources for them.
Solar panels can be installed in many locations, and they do not take up space around the farm. Freestall roofs provide a large area where there is potential for solar power to be utilized. Panels can easily be installed on these large areas on barn roofs and the energy produced can be used to directly run the electrical needs on the farm. However, barn roofs are not always ideal locations for solar. In Vermont, many farms contain older barns that have roofs that cannot support the weight of lots of solar panels. These roofs can be reinforced, but this adds to the overall cost of the project. If the roofs do not face in the correct direction, they can also be inefficient locations for panels. The ideal roof for solar panels is a south-facing roof. This allows for maximum exposure to the sun from sunrise to sunset. This makes some farms great candidates for roof solar systems while it limits the efficiency for others.
On the dairy farm I work on, all of the barn roofs face directly east and west because the barns face north to south lengthwise. Therefore, it would be difficult to obtain maximum solar efficiency. Also, all of the facilities at the farm are older, with the exception of the milking parlor. As a result, the roofs would most likely need reinforcing to accommodate the panels. This may not be cost effective. Instead, panels could be installed in open areas where they can be erected in a south-facing direction. Many farmers immediately look away from this concept because they need the farmland for cropping purposes. However, solar panels can be strategically positioned to allow agricultural equipment to work around it. For example, the distance between the rows of panels can be increased to accommodate tractors and haying equipment. The height of the panels from the ground can also be increased to allow clearance for larger tractors and implements. Furthermore, cattle can also graze around solar panels. Solar panels can be mounted on livestock-tough metal poles so that cows can graze right up to the panels without bending or damaging the supports or their components. Therefore, there are ways to use field space for solar power (Solar PV on a Dairy Farm).
Is it worth it? The investment for solar panels is huge, and it takes time to pay it off. However, dairy farms around the state are making it work. McKnight Farm, an organic dairy farm in East Montpelier, Vermont recently invested in a large solar array to generate all of the electricity for the farm. This investment cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they received help from local programs that means their expected payback period is about six years. The farm obtained a $255,000 loan from the VEDA agricultural loan organization. They also are eligible for a federal tax credit of $85,620. The panels produce 120,000 kWh annually, meaning that the farm will receive $25,200 from the electrical company as a result of net metering. After about 6 years, this farm will see a profit from the energy that they produce (Solar PV on a Dairy Farm).
Solar power on farms has great potential for today’s dairy farmers. A six-year investment is a much shorter-term investment than purchasing some of the equipment required to run a farm. A solar array can be a 30+ year venture, and after six years, the electricity is free. For example, if the McKnight Farm has a $25,000 electricity bill annually, and after six years, they don’t have to pay the panels off, for the next 24 years, they are gaining 25k each year to put towards other expenses and improvements. 24 years later, they are $600,000 dollars ahead.
$600,000 dollars can buy a brand new forage harvester, it can replace a small freestall, or it can go towards a new milking parlor or cow comfort improvements. So, why do farmers not “Chomp at the bit?” The initial investment can be scary for farms, especially with recent fluctuation in milk prices. Some farms are not in ideal locations for solar, or they do not want to lose farmland to solar panels. Other farmers simply do not like the looks of the panels on their land.
Overall, solar power is a great alternative for dairy farmers looking to eliminate their electricity costs. It is a big jump to become involved in solar, but after the initial down payment, the money starts to flow back into the farmer’s pocket. Any farm that can should make the jump to solar power.