As a farmer, you understand the power of the sun better than any other group of people. But the sun is much more than just an energy source for your crops — it can power your home, barn, and silos too while lowering the amount you pay for electricity.
What Is Agrivoltaics?
Agrivolcatics is the pairing of solar and agriculture for shared benefits. This configuration allows for dual land use by deploying on-farm solar while maintaining agricultural production on the land underneath and/or between the solar panels. Agrivoltaic activities range from crop production and pollinator habitats to livestock production/grazing.
Solar energy offers the opportunity to harvest the sun twice—the same reason Illinois’ rich, nutrient-dense soil on our flatland is key to our state’s prosperous agricultural economy. It also makes an ideal landscape for solar installations.
What Are The Benefits Of Solar Farms?
Making the switch from conventional energy to solar power is a hefty business decision not to be taken lightly. Illinois Solar Services understands the weight of this decision and is here to guide you every step of the way. There are numerous environmental, financial, and operational benefits to making the switch to solar farming, see below:
Cost Savings
Solar is now significantly cheaper than buying power from the grid in Illinois. In times of high inflation, reducing your operating costs any way you can is a wise choice.
Return on Investment
Consider the transition as an investment rather than an expense. The ROI you’ll get is greater than most other investments in terms of the money you’ll save over the life of system.
Future Costs Control
Predicting costs is always difficult, but when you consider the high inflationary rates and supply chain issues, the Illinois power grid won’t be more affordable any time soon.
High Dependability & Low Maintenance
Illinois Solar Services offers a 30-year warranty covering panels, microinverters, and installation, so you don’t have to worry about what to do if something goes wrong. They go further than just the manufacturer’s warranty.
Financial Incentives
By partnering with Illinois Solar Services, your existing bill is utilized as a reference prior to finding the right solar installation for your farm. This could potentially slash your energy bill by as much as 100% or more. Additional savings could also be found in numerous state and federal incentives, including:
- Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC)
- 30% Federal Investment Tax Credit
- 10% Energy Community Tax Credit Bonus
- Must be located in a designated energy community to qualify
- 10% Domestic Content Bonus Credit
- 50% or more of the project must be U.S. manufactured to qualify
- 5-year MACRS depreciation
- Illinois 10-Year Straight Line Depreciation
There’s never been a better time to reach out as funding is limited. Coupled with the incentives listed above, expect 50% off your total solar project investment. Locally owned and operated, Illinois Solar Services is committed to finding the right solar solution for your farm.
How Can I Learn More?
Ready to shed some light on potential savings for your farm? Contact Illinois Solar Services by emailing David Knight or calling 309-444-0982.