With plummeting crop prices nowadays, farmers are looking at a new cash crop: solar energy.
Farming practices used in previous decades are becoming harder to sustain and ensure profitability.
This raises a new question for those of you whose land is the backbone of your livelihood: Are solar farms profitable?
This is a weighty question for many farmers and ranchers.
Let’s take a look.
Leading Up to the Question
If you’re a farmer, you’ve long wrestled with financial concerns about healthy crops and prices.
And if you’re a rancher, you’re dealing with ever-increasing costs of feeding livestock and market issues.
But solar power is a workable option to produce a reliable second income that doesn’t interfere with your agricultural business.
Solar companies are searching for land with lots of sunlight to place large solar arrays that urban spaces and roofs don’t provide.
Agricultural lands are perfect for solar companies and give you needed income stability.
The Way Solar Farms Produce Income
Many states across the US are making commitments to reduce fossil fuels over a period of years due to climate change issues.
Solar and wind energy are two ways to do this.
Therefore, solar companies are working with farmers and ranchers to lease portions of their land for solar energy production.
Given the terms of the agreements, these cooperative arrangements benefit both parties.
For some, there’s a possibility to earn more money from solar leases than crop production.
Yet, it’s the combination of these income streams that makes them so enticing.
You still get to do your primary work while padding your bottom line.
Other Income Prospects
But establishing a solar farm isn’t the end of the story.
There’s the potential for extra earnings with solar farms.
If you’re a rancher, you can arrange for animals to graze near and around solar installations.
Sheep and other animals (including cattle) co-exist well with solar equipment as long as the panels are raised high enough.
If you’re a farmer, growing pollinator crops around solar installations lets you host bee-keeping operations that generate even more income.
Lastly, you can grow specialized crops that thrive in shaded areas to provide extra revenue on your solar acreage.
The Future Is Here
Agricultural operations, like other industries, are undergoing significant changes in how business gets done.
And solar power is the future of energy production.
Fortunately, you can reap the benefits of this environmentally sustainable and profitable movement.
A Company that Answers Your Question: Are Solar Farms Profitable?
You may wonder: Are solar farms profitable?
The short answer is yes.
At Unbound Solar®, we can walk you through your solar power journey and find a system that meets your needs.
Once your system is installed and operational, we offer free, lifetime support. Call us anytime – we’ll be there for you.
So reach out with any questions you have about solar energy or solar components!
