Estimated time to read: 5 minutes
We’ve covered both commercial and residential installations in many of our previous posts. There is, however, one type of installation that we haven’t shed enough light on yet. Farms and ranches are other types of areas that can greatly benefit from going solar. Today, we’ll be taking a look at why investing in a Solar Powered System could be the best decision for your farm or ranch.
Why are Texas farms ideal for solar?
Just like the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the farms. Texas has the largest number of farms and ranches in the United States. The lone-star state gets more than its fair share of sunshine and is home to many different types of farms that raise cattle and grow a wide range of crops. With so much sunshine and so many farms, Texas farmers stand to gain massive benefits from switching to solar.
Why switch to solar?
While we’ve written about the benefits that a Solar Powered System provides for residential and commercial installations, farms also benefit in many of the same ways but with some notable differences.
What are the benefits of installing a Solar Powered System on a Farm?
- A Solar Powered System allows you to offset your electric bill
You can say goodbye to your concerns about your electric bill. For farmers, electricity is likely the most expensive utility, and the rising prices for electricity make affordability increasingly difficult. With a Solar Powered System, farmers can offset or even completely eliminate their electric bill. This is especially important when your farm grows crops like grains or raises cattle like goats, hogs, and cows, all of which are electricity heavy areas of agriculture.
- Space isn’t an obstacle
There are more places that you can install a Solar Powered System than you might realize. Solar panels can be placed in open areas that aren’t being used and on top of any buildings that you have on your farm. The fact that they can be placed so easily, paired with the massive amount of sunlight Texas gets, makes switching to solar a very effective choice for farmers.
- The Solar Powered Systems pay themselves off quickly
Many farms are accustomed to making large, long-term purchases, and switching to solar is very similar. The difference here is that a Solar Powered System is a long-term purchase that pays itself off very quickly. Typically, Solar Powered Systems that are purchased by farmers pay themselves off in 3 to 6 years.
- Solar can be installed with financing options and the net cost is low
While cost can initially seem like a barrier to purchasing a Solar Powered System, there are many different avenues to ownership to choose from. On top of this, there are tax incentives that you can qualify for when you make the switch to solar. The newly increased federal tax incentives (increased by the Inflation Reduction Act from 26% to 30%) along with rebates from utility companies make going solar the best choice for Texan farmers and ranchers.
- A Solar Powered System has a very long life span
What’s the lifespan you ask? Solar Powered Systems have a lifespan of up to 40 years. This means that you and your farm get to enjoy the benefits of switching to solar for a very long time. Plus, with a system with such a long life span, you can pass the farm and system down to the next generation, giving them a massive advantage over competing farms and to carry the legacy into the future for generations to come.
- Increase your operating budget
Saving money on electricity over such a long period of time gives you the ability to invest that money in other things for your farm. When you don’t have to worry about the cost of an increasingly expensive utility like electricity, you can put that money towards other things that your farm needs or expand. A Solar Powered System can improve your operating budget and your bottom line for decades.
- Solar Powered Systems are incredibly durable
If you’re wondering how well a Solar Powered System can handle storms and other types of rough weather, you’ll be happy to learn that they are wonderfully sturdy. In fact, when Hurricane Ian hit Florida, Babcock Ranch (a community calling itself America’s very first 100% solar-powered town) never lost power despite having a near-category 5 storm pass right over them. While over 2 million utility customers in the state lost power, Babcock Ranch’s Solar Powered System kept the entire area powered while taking minimal damage from the 100 mph wind created by the storm.
The bottom line?
Solar is one of the best investments that farmers and ranchers can make for themselves and the next generation. Installing a Solar Powered System on your farm or ranch protects you from electricity price hikes, tax rate increases, benefits you through tax credits, and gives you the ability to thrive in a turbulent economy. With a 40-year lifespan and so many benefits, Texas-based farmers have everything to gain when it comes to solar!
If you are considering switching to solar for your home or business, reach out to us by going to our website, iestxsolar.com, or by giving us a call at (855) 447-6527.
