Solar Energy in Agriculture – Resources

Table of Contents

• Websites – Solar Energy in Agriculture
• Understanding Solar Technology
• Agricultural Applications of Solar
  • Photovoltaics (PV), Solar Electricity; Passive Solar; Solar Water Heating; Solar Greenhouses;  Solar Crop and Grain Drying; Solar Water Pumping
• Solar Installation Considerations
  • Planning, Site and Solar Resource Potential; Find a Solar System Installer; Financing Your Solar Installation; Solar Collectors and Equipment
• Government and Association Solar Sites
• Solar Policy
• Solar Questions – Ask yours

Websites – Solar Energy in Agriculture

• ATTRA: Solar Energy and Directory of Energy Alternatives by state. ATTRA is the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service.

• DOE: Farmer’s Guide to Going Solar
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), provides information on space and water heating, greenhouse heating, electricity, crop and grain drying.

• NREL: Photovoltaic Applications
  from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) hosts webpages for Photovoltaic Systems (PV) and Solar Hot Water.

• FarmEnergy.org, sponsored by the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) provides information on the Energy Title programs of the Federal Farm Bill and energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities that benefit farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

• Up with the Sun: Solar Energy and Agriculture is a dedicated solar energy and agriculture webpage hosted by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

• Focus on Energy: Renewables. Solar and Wind Resources assembled for Wisconsin, but many are applicable to other areas.

Understanding Solar Technology

• Solar Energy Basics. A primer on solar technologies from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
• How Silicon Solar Cells Work. Video describing how Silicon Solar Cells work (Nebraska Extension)

Photovoltaics (PV), Solar Electricity

• Solar Photovoltaic Technology. An overview from National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).

• A Consumer’s Guide: Get Your Power from the Sun. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

• Electricity when and where you need it: From the Sun. Publication on Photovoltaics for Farms and Ranches, with sections on pumping water, power for buildings, around the ranch, and working with the sun. (28 page, 6 MB PDF). National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

• Toolbox: Photovoltaics. This toolbox set includes info on interconnection process, electrical codes, funding opportunities, fact sheets, economics. RENEW Wisconsin, produced/assembled by Niels Wolter of Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) and WisconSUN.

Passive Solar

• Passive Solar Introduction. An overview from National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).

• Passive Solar Design provides definition, considerations, commercial status, implementation issues and guidelines. From Sustainable Sources, who provide information and services related to Green Building.

• Passive Solar Home Design. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Solar Water Heating

• Solar Hot Water Introduction. An overview from National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).

• Solar Hot Water System Types Typical methods of heating household water by means of the sun are discussed and diagrammed, including pumped (both direct and indirect), thermosiphon and integral collector storage. Florida Solar Energy Center.

• A Consumer’s Guide: Heat Your Water with the Sun. (20 page, 603 KB PDF) U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

• Solar Water Heaters. Basic information about solar water heating for the home. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Solar Greenhouses

• Solar Greenhouses discusses and diagrams basic principles of solar greenhouse design, as well as different construction material options. Provides detailed resources and references. ATTRA, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.

Solar Crop and Grain Drying

• Low-Temperature and Solar Grain Drying 6 pages,  Iowa State University.

• Solar Heat for Grain Drying -Selection, Performance, Management. Purdue University Cooperative Extension.

Solar Water Pumping

• Using Solar Energy to Pump Water for Livestock.  University of Florida Extension.

• Solar Powered Livestock Watering Systems Introduction to solar-powered livestock watering systems, including discussions of cost, components, and terminology, as well as suggestions for designing and installing these systems. ATTRA.

• Solar-powered Groundwater Pumping Systems. Colorado State University Extension.

Miscellaneous uses

… and maybe not so agricultural, but information may have adaptation for use on the farm.

• Consumer’s Guide: Solar Swimming Pool Heaters. Basic information about using solar energy for pool heating. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Solar Installation Considerations

Planning, Site and Solar Resource Potential

• Build It Solar offers free plans, tools and information for renewable energy and conservation projects for Do-It-Yourselfers.

• National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) provides hourly solar radiation and meteorological data for U.S. sites for 1961–2005.

• RETScreen Clean Energy Project Analysis Software is a free decision support tool that can be used worldwide to evaluate the energy production and savings, costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for various types of Renewable-energy and Energy-efficient Technologies (RETs). Natural Resources Canada.

• The U.S. Energy Mapping System  presents an integrated picture of solar and other renewable energy resources in each U.S. Census Division. Sources of energy data are provided. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

• NREL’s PVWatts^TM calculator determines the energy production and cost savings of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) energy systems throughout the world. It allows the user to easily produce estimates of the performance of hypothetical PV installations.

• Electrical Load Analysis Worksheet. Colorado State University Extension.

Find a Solar System Installer

• Find a Solar Installer near you.

• Find Certified Installers. Search engine hosted by NABCEP, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.

Financing Your Solar Installation

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory – System Advisor Model (SAM). The model can aid in detailed financial analysis of solar PV systems.
  • For help in using the NREL SAM.  video series details how to perform a financial analysis using SAM.

• A Plethora of Solar Options –  Colorado State University Extension.
• Home Solar Panels: Pros, Cons, and Hidden Costs of Purchasing Versus Leasing

Solar Collectors and Equipment

• Solar Rating and Certification Corporation provides information about ratings, certification, and labeling for solar collectors and for complete solar water heating systems.

Government and Association Solar Sites

• DSIRE: State-by-state listing of state, local, utility, and federal incentives, tax credits, local audits, net metering regulations, and available rebates that promote renewable energy. Database of State Incentives for Renewable and Energy (DSIRE) is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

• Solar Energy Technologies Program, U.S. Dept. of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.

• U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) provides Independent Statistics & Analysis by Sources & Uses, Topics and Geography.

• NREL Solar Research. National Renewable Energy Lab.

• NASEO: National Association of State Energy Officials

• Florida Solar Energy Center provides research, testing & certification and provides educational programs.

• Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) is the national trade association of solar energy industry. Site includes information about solar energy, policies, state issues, news, research, technology & products, events and education.

• American Solar Energy Society (ASES), an association of solar professionals and advocates, is the U.S. section of the International Solar Energy Society. They publish Solar Today magazine, present the ASES National Solar Conference and organize the National Solar Tour.
• Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) is a trade group representing utilities in the solar energy arena.

 

Solar Policy

• DSIRE Solar Policy Guide describes policy options adopted by state and local governments to encourage solar deployment, discusses status and trends of individual policies, provides examples of specific programs, and links to additional sources of information.

• Solar Powering Your Community: A Guide for Local Governments. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) developed this comprehensive resource to assist local governments and stakeholders in building sustainable local solar markets.

Solar Questions – Ask yours

• Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert at ATTRA.

• State Energy Office.

• Local Agricultural Extension Agent.

Contributors to this Document

• Irene Xiarchos, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• F. John Hay University of Nebraska – Extension