Due to the rural and isolated location of most farms, many already utilise a generator to provide electricity. However, with the heavy investment that has been made into renewable energy in recent years, there are a multitude of choices for farmers to both produce their own electricity and possibly even generate more revenue.
Farming and renewable energy are natural partners. Farms have the resources to harvest wind, solar, and biomass energy indefinitely. As well as providing the farm with its own energy needs, there is also the added bonus of reducing pollution and dependence on imported fuels.
A farm is a working environment, and just like any other workplace, a loss of power can be catastrophic. This is one of the reasons many farms currently rely on generators. However, many older systems need to be controlled manually and are not fuel-efficient.
Modern systems are designed to work in tandem with renewable energy sources. They will turn on when they are needed to charge batteries and are much more fuel-efficient than traditional generators. This is partly due to advancements in the efficiency of generators, but also largely down to new automation features that allows the systems to automatically control themselves, ensuring only the minimum amount of fuel is used and they run at optimal efficiency.
The amount of energy that can be harvested from the sun is increasing all the time. There have been advancements in solar panels and the batteries used to store the energy. An extremely large amount of energy hits the earth’s surface everyday from the sun. Approximately twenty days worth of sunlight hitting the earth is equal to the energy we could produce from all of the world’s remaining fossil fuels.
For a farmer with lots of land, designating part of the land for solar energy can be a smart investment. If you’re connected to the mains and depending on your energy company, any excess energy produced can be sold back to the energy company.
Wind farms are popping up in many rural locations. They offer farmers a good solution because the footprint is relatively small, and farmers can plant and harvest crops right up to the base of the turbine.
Some farmers are investing in their own turbines, while some are being paid rent for allowing turbines to be placed on their land. The wind is blowing over farms all the time and farms have long taken advantage of it. Even traditional windmills used the wind to perform tasks.
If you think you could benefit from renewable energy it’s important to look at an integrated system that covers all likely eventualities. Sometimes a combination of sources works the best, and provides security for times when energy consumption is particularly high. If you’re unsure what will work best for your particular circumstances, then a professional company will be able to help make you aware of your options and give you plenty to think about.