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Valley Irrigation is seeking to take a possibility with its new answer that provides Ag Photo voltaic, which makes irrigation doable by offering vitality in locations the place the normal electrical community might be difficult to search out.
The primary Valley photo voltaic set up in North America final spring was on a quarter-acre nook of a pivot-irrigated discipline south of Davenport, Neb. the land managed by Farmers Nationwide Co. This can be the primary such set up within the US, however the Ag Photo voltaic workforce from the Valley already has greater than 700 photo voltaic installations worldwide.
Matt Gunderson, FNC senior vp of technique, gross sales and advertising, stated the set up of this photo voltaic undertaking is an extension of the corporate’s efforts to assist landowners enhance sustainability. and stay worthwhile.
Win-win for landowners
Farm Progress visited this primary photo voltaic set up final fall and spoke with Gunderson and Jared Hodgson, an FNC farm supervisor primarily based in Hastings, Neb.
Gunderson famous that the landowner invested in Tier 1 photo voltaic panels for this undertaking, that are the very best high quality panels which might be additionally utilized in massive utility-sized installations. Tier 1 panels can deal with excessive climate circumstances, together with wind and hail, and nonetheless carry out.
He says the system’s elements and inverters present higher than 94% effectivity in changing direct present to alternating present vitality that’s despatched again to {the electrical} grid. For the landowner, it’s a win-win, as a result of it makes use of a small nook or farm that’s much less productive to offset the price of vitality.
“The positioning of those installations is essential,” Gunderson stated. Within the Davenport undertaking, the set up is in a location handy to farming round and adjoining to energy strains, making the connection to the grid less expensive and simpler.
If the producer needed to develop the set up to maneuver the pivot and the nicely pump, Gunderson stated it could want an extra three-quarters of an acre in dimension, making for a 1- acre photo voltaic set up in all.
Extra effectivity
Solar energy has gained steam for ag purposes lately, partly resulting from main positive aspects in effectivity and affordability, stated Craig Bell, director, Heart for Excellence – Ag Photo voltaic, for the Valley.
“Valley has a protracted monitor file within the pivot enterprise and on the know-how facet as nicely,” he stated. “Our US supplier community supplies photo voltaic options as we speak for any ag software, together with pivots, but in addition pig barns, poultry amenities and extra, for instance. The pivots run on part of the yr, however different purposes require energy on daily basis of the yr, providing an elevated return on funding for our clients.
Valley photo voltaic panels are 400- to 500-plus watts. “The scale and format of the panel hasn’t modified a lot through the years,” Bell stated. “However in comparison with 10 years in the past when the wattage was much less, we’re doing extra in the identical house.”
There are three fundamental elements, together with the panels, the construction and the inverter, Bell defined. “The inverters themselves are comparatively low-cost and of excellent high quality,” he stated.
Bell famous that photo voltaic panels usually have improved in effectivity by a small proportion over time.
The partnership between Valley and Farmers Nationwide Co. for the Davenport photo voltaic set up represents a collaboration primarily based on shared values of sustainability and environmental targets.
For the reason that firm’s founding in 1929, FNC has valued conservation efforts as a part of their landowners’ long-term sustainable farm administration practices, Gunderson stated. That is why FNC is selling the idea of putting in photo voltaic to landowners as a sustainable, worthwhile answer for pivot corners and different marginal farms.
Study extra in regards to the FNC partnership and Ag Photo voltaic options from Valley on-line via FNC at farmersnational.com, or Valley Ag Photo voltaic at valleyirrigation.com.
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