Renewable energy is gaining a lot of attention in the past few years. Along with renewable energy, there are also talks about the reduction of carbon footprint. Thus, solar energy being a renewable energy source is gaining a lot of popularity all over the country.
With solar energy being the hot topic of the town, did you know it is beneficial for your farmland? The agricultural industry is making use of solar energy and installing solar panels to define its business more naturally.
Agriculture land is making the best use of solar panels. With the increase in demand for organic food, people with large farms are paying keen attention to develop their solar farms. However, to make the most of solar energy you need to understand the solar farmland requirements.
Moreover, if you own land that can be used for farming purposes then you can lease it. Leasing the land for solar farms can generate a good income. You just need to take care that your land is receiving a good amount of sunlight. Solar farms consist of acres of land with solar panel installation. As a landowner leasing the property is a beneficial deal to generate income.
The best part is the cost of solar is declining due to the increasing demand for going green. Thus, agricultural and farm businesses empower solar power to conduct daily operations. However, you need to consider several factors and analyze the requirements before installing solar panels for your farm.
So, let’s check in the different factors and also know whether the solar panel installation is beneficial for your farms:
Table of contents
- The cost of solar panel installation per acre
- Is sunlight an important factor in solar farms?
- Know about your land
- Understand the soil quality
- What are the benefits of solar panel installation for agriculture?
- Does the solar system dry out the crops and other vegetation?
- The proximity of the grid
- Can plants be maintained after solar panel installation?
- How many solar panels are required for farm use?
- Can wild animals harm solar panels?
- Will domestic animals affect solar panels?
- Impact of solar panels on birds and other species
- Do solar panels support native vegetation?
- Will solar panel installation increase the price of organic food?
- What if you spray agrochemicals around solar panels?
- Is there any way to install a solar panel to drive the tractor around?
- What is the maximum time required to build or develop a solar farm?
- Will solar panels decrease energy costs?
- Do solar farms generate fixed income?
- Financing options
- Bottom Line
The cost of solar panel installation per acre
There is no surprise that solar panels for farm use are extremely beneficial and also save your money. However, before opting for solar panel installation, you need to understand its cost structure.
A solar farm consists of about 1mW (megawatt) of land to empower nearly 200 houses in the nearby area. Now, the cost of installing solar panels in a 1-megawatt area would be around 1 million dollars. But this is not the exact amount for all farms. Some farmlands are smaller and hence require less solar panel installation and the cost would be less.
However, the overall cost of solar panel installation depends on the location and land. Every project is different depending on the budget and scale of the project. Moreover, it also depends on the decision of the landowner on what is their budget and plan in installing solar panels.
Is sunlight an important factor in solar farms?
Yes, sunlight is an important factor when it’s about solar farms. However, there may be certain construction such as trees or buildings covering the sunlight. But that’s not an issue, you can discuss the matter with your solar contractor. Before installing solar panels, you should ask the solar contractor to inspect your farmland. They will give you the best suggestion for installing solar panels on farmland.
If in case there are obstructions, your solar contractor can suggest to you the best possible ways to avoid such obstructions. With modern solar panels, even the obstruction can be limited.
Know about your land
If you are planning to install solar panels then you should know about solar farmland requirements. You should understand the area of the land. Inspect your land or let the experts inspect the land and decide about the installation process.
You should inspect in every possible way. Moreover, check the wireline and electric line to avoid any future damage to your land. If you are planning to install ground-mounted solar panels, check if there is any drainage as the field requires excess water.
Study the area around your farm, after a thorough inspection then only decide about solar panel installation. As a farm owner, you need to understand the different aspects of your farm to gain maximum return on your investment.
Understand the soil quality
If you are involved in farming then it’s necessary to check the soil quality before solar panel installation. If your land is not flat or covered with debris then it may be a concern for solar panels.
So, you need to check the quality of soil to install solar panels for farm use. However, you can clean the debris with professional help. If there are any problems then you can opt for a roof panel.
What are the benefits of solar panel installation for agriculture?
Solar panel installation can benefit your property as well as agricultural land. Let’s check out how it benefits your agricultural land:
- Reduction in electricity cost
- You can extend farming seasons
- Better revenue
- Reduction in water usage
- Helps to boost degraded land
- Supports to install shade resistant and high-value crops
- Helps in maintaining crop production
Thus, the installation of solar panels on farmland can be very beneficial in many aspects.
Does the solar system dry out the crops and other vegetation?
Solar panels will not cause any harm to your crops or vegetation. Moreover, they protect your crops by providing shade during the daytime and in the night hours, they help in keeping the crops warmer. So, they fulfill the needs of solar farmland requirements.
Even studies have proven that solar panel installation is beneficial for crops and vegetation. Moreover, solar panels can help farmers to grow and experiment with shade-tolerant crops. Such benefits help in diversifying crop selection. And also reduce water usage and helps to extend the agricultural seasons.
The proximity of the grid
This is an important factor if you want to lease your property for farming purposes. You need to check whether the required infrastructure is available to connect to the utility grid. You are putting in a huge investment, so it is necessary that essential infrastructure is present to connect with the grid.
If you invest in necessary infrastructure then it would be very expensive so make sure all the required source is available near your grid connection. Also, make sure you have access to the obvious infrastructure, all such requirements are essential; before investing in solar panels. Obvious infrastructure includes having a proper road connected to your land, a proper water supply, etc.
Can plants be maintained after solar panel installation?
Solar panels do not disrupt the growth of plants. Moreover, the use of tinted solar panels is best for plant growth and solar farmland requirements. Some studies have also shown that they help in offering nutrition to plants and crops.
So, solar panels are best for saving electricity as well as promoting the better and healthy growth of plants.
How many solar panels are required for farm use?
The solar panel’s requirement for farm use may vary depending on the size and location. You need to check the kWh energy requirement to install solar panels for farm use then decide accordingly.
For calculating the exact solar panel’s requirement, you need to understand the energy consumption for each solar panel and then determine it with the production ratio based on the area.
You can also make use of calculators that are available for calculating the savings and cost estimates depending on your area, location, and roof type.
Can wild animals harm solar panels?
Wild animals can’t affect the solar panels. However, for your safety, you can build a security fence around the panel. This will ensure your solar panel is safe from wild animals.
Will domestic animals affect solar panels?
It’s common that domestic animals like sheep gaze under the ground-mounted solar panels on farmland. Moreover, sheep are used to control vegetation on farmland; they do not climb on the solar panels or harm it.
You do not need to raise the solar panel’s height if you want the sheep to gaze under the panel. The standard height is enough for the sheep to gaze around the panel. However, the PV modules do not support cattle grazing as they cause damage to it.
Impact of solar panels on birds and other species
Solar panels do not create any harm to birds and other species. PV modules are in fact less reflective and support avian interactions in many airports. However, death and injuries to birds may occur due to fencing, power lines, and module structure.
Do solar panels support native vegetation?
Yes, solar panels offer good support for native vegetation. Moreover, solar panels offer good support to low-height plants growing underneath the panel. Few states in the US support pollinator habitats by offering solar certifications. The pollinator habitat can support your local farms and operations.
Will solar panel installation increase the price of organic food?
The installation of solar panels and their connection to increase the price of organic food is not yet proved. However, they can increase agricultural yields with pollination and insect services. Many states are promoting pollinator planting to support local farms.
There is a good contribution of solar panels in setting up your capital cost and also the return on investment.
What if you spray agrochemicals around solar panels?
Agrochemicals are sprayed to prevent the growth of weed around solar panels. However, agrochemicals do not cause any serious issues. You need to take care and avoid spraying directly on the solar panels.
If by mistake, you spray on the solar panels then you should clean the surface of the panels with a clean cloth or with water.
Is there any way to install a solar panel to drive the tractor around?
When you install solar panels care should be taken that it requires flat marginal land. If you want to grow crops, you can go ahead but you can’t make use of tractors. While with hand management you can cultivate crops. As small crops do not require a tractor, you can handle them with your hands. However, depending on the size of our land, you should install solar panels as there is no one-size fit.
What is the maximum time required to build or develop a solar farm?
The time range depends on the project size and the count of people engaged in the project. It may take a few months.
Some projects may take a long time depending on the permitting issue. In such a case, it may take up to three to five years to complete the necessary documentation and approvals for the installation of solar panels on farmland.
After the completion of the solar farm, there is a need for regular maintenance. You can consult your contractor to know how many times your solar farm requires servicing in a year.
Will solar panels decrease energy costs?
One of the main reasons to install solar panels on your farm is the reduction in energy costs. Farm activities consume a lot of energy to conduct daily operations. The operations include transportation, running motors, lighting, water heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and many more. Once you install solar panels on farmland, you can see a huge difference in energy costs.
While diesel-reliant motors and other machinery can cost high on your pocket; however, it is an investment but if you switch to electrical equipment while combining solar panels it will be more beneficial.
Do solar farms generate fixed income?
Solar farms are popular for stable income and the best part is that there is limited fluctuation. However, there are different variables to determine the income level. Some of the factors include land size, sunlight, grid proximity, soil quality, etc. The amount may differ based on different projects and their size.
Financing options
To get a solar panel installation, you can rely on the public as well as a private source for loans and grants. There are even a few programs that support funding for your solar panel installation.
Also as discussed earlier, you need to take permission from federal, local, and state groups for constructing solar farms. Other lists of documents to start a solar farm in the US are:
- Company bylaws
- Business plan
- Certificate of incorporation
- Agreement of LLCs
- Non-disclosure agreement
- Insurance policy
- Memorandum of understanding
- Employment agreement
- Apostille
- Operating agreement
Bottom Line
No doubt, solar panel installation on farmlands can give you a better return on your investment. And the economic and environmental benefits of solar panels are of course worth appreciating.
Solar farms with solar panel installation can meet all solar farmland requirements along with reliable revenue and improving energy efficiency. So, solar panel installation is definitely a good deal for your farms. Moreover, the future of solar farms is bright as people are moving towards renewable and green energy sources. So, we being responsible citizens should also move towards natural solar sources. So, don’t look back, generate a better income in your solar farms with solar panel installation.