Solar in Rural Communities

Did you know that just one hour of noontime summer sun is equal to the entire annual U.S. electricity demand? Harnessing this plentiful, constant resource allows us to generate reliable electricity for our communities and reduce our environmental impact. Over the past decade, solar energy has seen great technological advancements, with costs falling by about 90% while panel efficiency improves to over 20%. For homeowners, this means it takes about 7-10 years to break even on a home solar system investment. Once the payback period is over, homeowners enjoy free or reduced electricity costs, with panels providing free power for 15-20 years after they have paid themselves off. For electric utility providers, this means that solar panels are now the quickest and cheapest form of energy generation to install. And for farmers, starting to practice agrivoltaics is more accessible than ever. 

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​Agrivoltaics is the practice of co-locating agricultural production with solar energy generation on the same land. Farmers can do this with crops, livestock (as seen above), greenhouses, or pollinator habitats. This dual use of property generates stable income for farmers and can even result in crop benefits like increased yield and reduced water loss. While research is ongoing, current findings demonstrate that vegetables and berries are some of the most suitable crops for agrivoltaics. ​​