Agricultural Solar
1. Reduced Energy costs:
By installing solar panels, a farm can generate its own electricity, its dependence on the grid, and lowering its energy costs
2. Increased energy independence:
By generating their own electricity, farmers can become more self-sufficient and less reliant on external energy sources.
3. Environmental benefits:
Solar energy is a clean and renewable source of energy, which reduces a farm’s carbon footprint and contributes to a healthier environment.
4. Improved farm profitability:
By reducing energy costs, a farm can increase its profitability, making it more sustainable in the long run.
5. Potential revenue stream:
A farm can generate revenue by selling excess solar power back to the grid or by participating in community solar programs.
6. Increased property value:
A farm that has installed solar panels can increase its property value, making it a more attractive investment opportunity.
7. Incentives and tax benefits:
Many governments offer incentives and tax benefits to encourage the adoption of solar energy, which can help reduce the cost of installation and make it a more affordable option for farms.
R.E.A.P GRANT
What does this program do?
The R.E.A.P. program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.
Who may apply for this program?
- Agricultural producers with at least 50 percent of their gross income coming from agricultural operations.
- Small businesses in eligible rural areas.
NOTE: Agricultural producers and small businesses must have NO outstanding delinquent federal taxes, debt, judgment or debarment.
What funding is available?
- Loan guarantees on loans up to 80 percent of total eligible project costs.
- Grants for up to 40 percent of total eligible project costs.
- Combined grant and loan guarantee funding up to 80% of total eligible project costs.
What are the loan guarantee terms?
The lender, with Agency concurrence, will establish and justify the guaranteed loan term based on the use of guaranteed loan funds, the useful economic life of the assets being financed and those used as collateral, and the borrower’s repayment ability. The loan term will not exceed 40 years.
65% Energy Savings – Minimum
With his new solar panels now fully operational, he’s expecting a minimum of 65% savings on his energy bills, but it could go as high as 75% depending on various factors. There are a lot of variables that affect solar energy efficiency, so it’s never an exact prediction.
65% savings translates to a minimum energy-bill slashing of $8775 saved per year. With these savings and the tax incentives, he will recoup his costs for his new solar energy system within 5 years. Because it’s warranted to produce energy for at least 25 years, he will be earning free electricity for at least 20 years.
Since his other expenses remain more or less constant, all these savings turn into profits. With no effort at all – no marketing, no expansion, no remodeling, and no other energy-saving investments he could have made – he’ll be pocketing nearly $10,000 in extra profits per year.
And regardless of how you feel about it politically, if a carbon tax ever gets enacted, farms with solar energy will reap even more savings.
Poultry Farms
This farmer has a 6-house poultry farm, and he was looking at his unpredictable and ever-increasing Georgia Power utility bills, now reaching about $13,500 per year. Because of his deal with Tyson and other chicken processors, gas and electricity are his only major expenses, so any savings he can find will have a huge impact on long-term profits.
With energy costs biting bigger chunks from his bottom line every year, he decided to take advantage of current tax credits and other incentives for solar energy panels. After consulting with a Coastal Solar representative, he learned three more reasons to go solar:
- He has long, flat roofs – the ideal architecture for solar panels
- No loss of ground space – because of the long roofs, all his panels will fit on his roofs
- Southern exposure – south-facing roofs get the most direct sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere
Food processing
Cold Storage
Packing houses
Wineries & Vinyards
We know that making the transition to solar is a decision that impacts many facets of your winery. A large-scale production winery has different needs than a boutique winery and tasting room. We customize solar solutions to fit your business. We work with you from day one to help you (and your customers) realize the value of your solar investment quickly.
Tree Nut Growers
Growers in California face a number of issues that impact their balance sheet. Fluctuating market conditions. Labor shortages. A move towards automation. And a recent study from the USDA that you could be spending up to 6 percent of your operating expenditures on energy bills. With costs that high, it’s worth taking another look at solar. Federal and state incentives and California’s Net Energy Metering Aggregation (NEMA) have the potential to dramatically accelerate the ROI on solar for growers. But what does the ROI look like for your farm? That’s where Coldwell Solar comes in. Founded in 1986, we are California’s #1 family-owned commercial solar company. We partner with growers of tree nuts, citrus, grapes, and a variety of row crops to help you dramatically reduce and even eliminate your energy costs.
Food Processing
The process of moving food from the farm to the table is very energy-intensive. According to the NRDC, it consumes up to 10 percent of the total United States’ energy budget. Food processing plants play an important role in this value chain. Farmers count on you to maximize the value of their harvest. Distributors and their customers demand only the highest degree of food quality, safety and sustainability standards. Solar is an economically and environmentally sustainable way to reduce (or even eliminate) your energy costs.
Cold Storage
Cold storage facilities require a lot of energy. They have the highest demand of any industrial business. And with consumers’ food tastes diversifying as they opt for fresher foods as well as ready-to-eat frozen foods, it’s up to cold storage facility owners to keep up with increasing demand. Solar can be a real game-changer for cold storage facilities. It’s an economically and environmentally sustainable way to reduce or even eliminate your energy costs.
Packing Houses
Packing houses play an important role ensuring food from the farm makes it to the table. Growers depend on you to maximize the value of your harvest. When you make business decisions, you’re considering both your responsibility to growers and your commitment to delivering a high-quality product. Solar is an economically and environmentally sustainable way to reduce or even eliminate your energy costs. For packing houses with energy bills that exceed $50,000 a month, solar simply makes financial sense.
Row Crop Growers
Lemon Growers
For many citrus growers, your family has been working the land for generations. Citrus growing is not work, it’s a way of life. But citrus growers in California and Florida are facing a number of issues that impact production. Finding new ways to maximize output and reduce operational costs is critical. Going solar can reduce or eliminate your electricity costs. It can also give you the peace of mind that you’re making the right investment for your citrus grove for this generation and the next.
We know that making the transition to solar is a decision that impacts many facets of your citrus grove. Founded in 1986, Coldwell Solar is the #1 family-owned commercial solar company in California, and one the largest commercial solar companies in the country. We partner with citrus growers to help you dramatically reduce and even eliminate your energy costs.
Pistachios
Federal and state incentives and California’s Net Energy Metering Aggregation (NEMA) have the potential to dramatically accelerate the ROI on solar for pistachio farmers. But what does the ROI look like for your pistachio farm? That’s where we come in. Founded in 1986, Coldwell Solar is the #1 family-owned commercial solar company in California. We partner with growers of tree nuts to help you dramatically reduce (and even eliminate) your energy costs. We’re a family-owned business built on family values. We don’t just stand by our work, we stand by it.
We’ve partnered with 15 growers in California to install more than 6 megawatts of solar
Walnut Growers
Federal and state incentives and California’s Net Energy Metering Aggregation (NEMA) have the potential to dramatically accelerate the ROI on solar for growers. But what does the ROI look like for your walnut farm? That’s where we come in. Founded in 1986, Coldwell Solar is the #1 family-owned commercial solar company in California. We partner with growers of tree nuts to help you dramatically reduce (and even eliminate) your energy costs. We’re a family-owned business built on family values. We don’t just stand by our work, we stand by it.
We’ve partnered with 15 growers in California to install more than 6 megawatts of solar. With reliable customer service and high-quality installations, we help you achieve energy cost savings for years to come.
Almond Growers
Federal and state incentives and California’s Net Energy Metering Aggregation (NEMA) have the potential to dramatically accelerate the ROI on solar for growers. But what does the ROI look like for your orchard? That’s where we come in. Founded in 1986, Coldwell Solar is the #1 family-owned commercial solar company in California. We partner with growers of tree nuts, to help you dramatically reduce (and even eliminate) your energy costs. In fact, we’ve partnered with 15 growers to install more than 6 megawatts of solar in California.
Grape Growers & Orchards
We know that making the transition to solar is a decision that impacts many facets of your grape-growing operation. Whether you’re growing table grapes, raisin grapes, or wine grapes, we can customize a solar solution to fit your business. We work with you from day one to help you, and your customers, realize the value of your solar investment quickly.
Why Growers go solar
Dairy Farm
Dairies in California have enough things to worry about. Fluctuating market conditions. Changing regulations. With so much unpredictability, rising energy costs are one of the few things dairies can control. And if you’re spending more than $50,000 a month in energy bills, you should take a second look at solar. We’ve partnered with more than 66 dairies in California to install more than 60 megawatts of solar.