How Australian Farmers Use Solar in 2018

Yesterday the Clean Energy Council shared a roundup of how Australian farmers in different industries are using renewables to power production and innovate farming practices.

At Solar Trust Centre we cover a lot of residential and commercial solar news, but how are the farmers doing? Let’s take a look!

Solar Energy for Eggs

Pace Farm group has invested $3.2 million into three solar projects across NSW this year. Annual output will hit up to 2.7 million kilowatt-hours – an amount that could power hundreds of homes.

A Solar Orchard

Burgi’s Melbourne-based fruit orchard has switched on solar as a move towards more sustainable, clean energy practices.

They have a 25 kW system with 100 panels, generating just under 40% of the power needed for the orchard and storage rooms.

Tomatoes Ripe with Renewable Flavour

Adelaide’s Sundrop Farms has stayed true to their name and employed solar thermal technology for their daily energy needs.

The 20-hectare greenhouse facility also uses desalinated water for irrigation, setting an example for others in the industry.

Pigs Reducing Emissions

KIA-ORA piggery in Victoria tackled massive power bills using their pig’s waste products to generate electricity. They installed an innovative system to recycle manure and turn it into biogas which can be used as power or sold back to the grid.

Cows Enjoying the Sun

Capel Farms in Western Australia invested in solar 3 years ago to cut down on power bills. Their 100 kW system has reduced their reliance on electricity from the grid and power bills have gone down 40%.

Hybrid Farming

Charlie Prell farms sheep and will soon farm wind! The 91 MW Crookwell Wind Farm project was signed off last year for development on Prell’s farm in 2018. Ridgelines or rocky outcrops will house the wind turbines so they don’t affect the land needed for sheep.

Once built, the turbines will produce enough energy to power 41,600 homes.

Conservation and Cheese

Melbourne’s Meredith Dairy uses Biofuel to keep things running and also purchases clean energy when needed. The Dairy also uses solar hot water; truly a very sustainable cheese maker.

Thanks to Clean Energy Council for these good news stories from renewable farmers. Read their full article here.

Clean energy is helping to pave the way for more independence and prosperity for our farmers long into the future. Advances in technology mean that we can do everything we could before, and in some cases, a bit extra – and the only thing we have to give up is the pollution.