LIFESTYLE
How You Can Use Solar Panels for Agriculture
Solar panels are getting stronger. As they evolve, they are picking up innovative uses which could set them apart as the technology that lights and heats the future. Here is how you could use solar power to boost your agricultural business.
Those of you not aware may not be aware that solar panels are making huge changes all over the world. In Europe, fields of solar panels are generating power for whole towns. In Africa, those same panels are helping regrow areas of the desert and grow crops. Here in America, we, too, could be using these new technologies to grow and harvest crops in a cost-effective way.
This article should shed light on the use of solar panels in the agricultural industry. The sun is there for us to harvest; we may as well make use of it.
Solar Panel Statistics
Around the country, solar panels are seeing increased use. According to Pew Research, solar power stands for roughly 3% of domestic energy use in the USA. When it comes to developing a country that uses solar power over fossil fuels, the US still has some way to go. Although home solar panel use is low, it is still rising. This is slow but steady growth compared to the last few years.
According to expert solar panel installers from one Arroyo Grande solar company, a huge sector of industry capable of harnessing the power of the sun is agriculture. Since plants can only grow with sunlight, why not use that sunlight twice to power their growth?
Solar Panel Use in Agriculture
Solar parks and solar farms are helping farmers to grow more crops. In large-scale greenhouse operations, farmers are donating a portion of their land to the setup of solar panels. Once a field or two is operational, these solar panels can power their entire operation without the running costs of electricity for lighting and heat.
Farmers are the original solar power businesses. Their job is to harness the solar power of the sun to use it to grow crops. The modern farmer has patches of land which they don’t use. It may be scrubland, or it may be a sheep field that is in rotation. When you turn that unused space into a solar panel field, which could cover the electricity costs of your entire operation.
The Benefits of Solar Panels for Agriculture
Solar power isn’t just cost-efficient for farmers. There are other benefits, too.
They are Off-Grid
Solar panels don’t need to connect to the main power supply. If something goes wrong or a blackout hits, it won’t affect your plants.
Solar Panels are Better for the Environment
If you own a dairy farm or a meat farm and you are concerned about the methane produced, you can offset some of that carbon imprint by using solar panels instead of non-renewable energy.
Additional Income
And the cherry on top for solar panel installation in agriculture? That you could potentially make enough money to sell it back to the grid. This could be a nifty extra income stream for the thrifty farmer.
