NYSERDAsIntroductionto

SolarEn
Energy
Solar

Applications

forAgriculture

N EW Y ORK S TATE

E NERGY R ESEARCH AND D EVELOPMENT A UTHORITY

www.PowerNaturally.org

arming,particularlydairy

farming,canbeaveryenergy
intensiveindustry.Fortunately,
solarenergycansupplyand
supplementmanyfarmenergy

SpaceandWaterHeating

GreenhouseHeating

SolarElectric(Photovoltaic)Systems

11

AdditionalSourcesofInformation

requirements.Thefollowingis
abriefoverviewofsome
applicationsofsolarenergy
technologiesusedinagriculture.
Additionalsourcesareprovided
formorespecificinformation
aboutthesolarenergy
applicationshighlightedinthis
guide.TheNewYorkState
EnergyResearchand
DevelopmentAuthority
(NYSERDA)hasincentivesand
programsforsomesolar
electricapplications.
(www.PowerNaturally.org)

ThisdocumentwaspreparedusinginformationprovidedbytheU.S.
DepartmentofEnergysOfficeofEnergyEfficiencyandRenewable
EnergyConsumerEnergyInformationERECreferencebriefs
(www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/da1.htm)

Contents

SpaceandWaterHeating

LIVESTOCKANDDAIRYOPERATIONSOFTENHAVE
SUBSTANTIALAIRANDWATERHEATINGREQUIREMENTS.

SOLARAPPLICATIONS
Usingthesuntodrycropsandgrainisoneoftheoldestandmost

widelyusedapplicationsofsolarenergy.Thesimplestandleast

Manypigandpoultryfarmsraiseanimalsinenclosedbuildingstocontroltemperature

expensivetechniqueistoallowcropstodrynaturallyinthefield,

andairqualityinanefforttomaintainanimalhealthandgrowth.Thesefacilitiesneed

ortospreadgrainandfruitoutinthesunafterharvesting.The

toreplacetheindoorairregularlytoremovemoisture,toxicgases,odors,anddust.

disadvantageofthesemethodsisthatthecropsandgrainaresubject

Heatingthisair,whennecessary,requireslargeamountsofenergy. Withproper

todamagebybirds,rodents,wind,andrain,andcontaminationby

planninganddesign,solarairheaterscanbeincorporatedintofarmbuildingsto

windblowndustanddirt.Moresophisticatedsolardryerscan

preheatincomingfreshair.Thesesystemscanalsobeusedtosupplementnatural
ventilationlevelsduringsummermonths. Solarwaterheatingsystemscan

protectgrainandfruit,reducelosses,
dryfasterandmoreuniformly,and
produceabetterqualityproductthan
openairmethods.

providehotwater forpenorequipmentcleaningorforpreheatingwatergoinginto
aconventionalwaterheater.Visitwww.nrel.gov/clean_energy/farmer_solarwater.html
andwww.eere.energy.gov/RE/solar_hotwater.htmlformoreinformationonsolar
waterheatingandwww.agcom.perdue.edu/AgCom/pubs/AE/AE99.htmlfor
solarheatingsystems.

Commercialdairyfarmsuselarge

amountsofenergytoheatwater

thatisusedtocleanequipment.

Heatingwatercanaccountforupto

40% oftheenergy

usedonadairyfarm.
Solarwaterheatingsystemsmaybe

usedtosupplyallorpartofthese

hotwaterrequirements.

Thebasiccomponentsofasolardryerareanenclosureorshed,screened
dryingtraysorracks,andasolarcollector.Thesouthernsideofthe
enclosureitselfcanbeglazedtoallowsunlighttodrythematerial.The
collectorcanbeassimpleasaglazedboxwithadarkcoloredinteriorto
absorbthesolarenergythatheatsair.Theairheatedinthesolarcollector
movesupthroughthematerialbeingdriedeitherbynaturalconvectionor
forcedbyafan.Thesizeofthecollector,andrateofairflowneeded,depend
ontheamountofmaterialbeingdried,themoisturecontentofthematerial,
thehumidityintheair,andtheaverageamountofsolarradiationavailable
duringthedryingseason.
TherearerelativelyfewlargesolarcropdryersintheUnitedStates.Thisis
becausethecostofthesolarcollectorcanbehigh,anddryingratesarenot
ascontrollableastheyarewithnaturalgasorpropanepowereddryers.
Designingthecollectorforotherusesatothertimesoftheyear,such
asforheatingfarmbuildings,maymakeasolardryermorecost
effective.
Formoreinformationonsolarcropdrying,visit:www.fsec.ucf.eduand
www.oit.doe.gov/combustion/factsheets/freshway.pdf

GreenhouseHeating

ANOTHERAGRICULTURALAPPLICATIONOF
SOLARENERGYISGREENHOUSEHEATING.
Solarelectric,orphotovoltaic(PV),systems
Commercialgreenhousestypicallyrelyonthesuntosupply
theirlightingneeds,buttheyarenotdesignedtousethe
sunforheating.Instead,theyrelyongasoroilheatersto

convertsunlightdirectlyintoelectricity.
Theycanpoweranelectricalappliance
directlyorstoreenergyinabattery.

maintainthetemperaturesnecessarytogrowplantsinthe
coldermonths.Solargreenhouses,however,aredesignedto
utilizesolarenergyforbothheatingandlighting.

INAREASWITHNOUTILITYLINES,
PVSYSTEMSAREOFTENCHEAPER
ANDREQUIRELESSMAINTENANCE
thandieselgenerators,windturbines,or
batteriesalone.Andwhereutilitieschargefor
newlines,aPVgeneratingsystemisoftenmuch

Asolargreenhousehasthermalmasstocollectandstore
solarheatenergyandinsulationtoretainthisheatforuse
duringthenightandoncloudydays.Asolargreenhouseis
orientedtomaximizesouthernglazingexposure.Itsnorthern
sidehaslittleornoglazingandiswellinsulated.Toreduce
heatloss,theglazingitselfisalsomoreefficientthansingle
paneglass;variousproductsareavailablerangingfrom
doublepanetocellularglazing.

Asolargreenhousereducesthe
needforfossilfuelsforheating.

cheaperforthelandownerthanpayingforanew
line.Aremotelocationcanbeseveralmilesor
aslittleas50feetfromapowersource.

PVSYSTEMSAREVERYRELIABLE,ANDTHEY
PRODUCEPOWERINALLTYPESOFWEATHER.
Onpartlycloudydays,theycanproduceupto80percentoftheirpotential
energy.Evenonextremelyovercastdays,theymaystillproduceabout25
percentoftheirmaximumoutput.Weatherdamageisnogreaterproblemfor
PVsystemsthanforotherstructuresinruralareas.Designerstestpanelsfor

Agasoroilheatermayserveasabackupheater,orto
increasecarbondioxidelevelstoinducehigherplantgrowth.

hailimpact,highwind,andfreezethawcyclesrepresentingyearround
weatherconditions.

ForfurtherinformationonSolarGreenhousesvisit:
www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/factsheets/vg9.html
orhttp://attra.ncat.org/attrapub/solargh.html
6

SolarElectric(Photovoltaic)Systems

Solarpanelthattracksthesun

Solararray

WATERPUMPING
Photovoltaic(PV)waterpumpingsystemsmaybe

themostcosteffective
waterpumpingoption

PACKAGEDPVSYSTEMSORKITS
ARENOTDIFFICULTTOINSTALL.
Manufacturersprovideliterature
andtelephonesupportfordoit
yourselfers.Andforsystemswith
morecomplicatedcomponents,suchas
trackingmountsandinverterstoconvert
directcurrent(DC)toalternatingcurrent
(AC),professionalinstallationandservice
isoftenincludedinthepurchaseprice.
Visitwww.PowerNaturally.orgforalistof
PVinstallersparticipatinginNYSERDAs
programs.NABCEP.orghasalistof
nationallycertifiedPVinstallers.

MostPVmodulesnow
comewith2025year
warranties.

inlocationswherethereisnoexistingpower
line.Theyareexceptionallywellsuitedfor
grazingoperationstosupplywatertoremote

Waterpump

pastures.SimplePVpowersystemsrunpumps
directlywhenthesunisshining,sotheywork
hardestinthehotsummermonthswhenthey
areneededmost.Generally,batteriesarenot
BecausePVsystemshavenomovingparts,
maintenanceislimitedtovisualchecksand
servicingbatteries.Suppliersmayoffer
maintenanceagreementsforlargersystems
thathavetrackingmountsandenergy

necessarybecausethewaterisstoredintanks
orpumpedtofieldsandusedinthedaytime.
Largerpumpingsystemsmayincludebatteries,
inverters,andtrackingmountstofollow
thesun.

conversionequipment.
Whenproperlysizedandinstalled,PV

andasubmersiblepumpcanproduce750

waterpumpsareveryreliableandrequire

1000gallonsofwaterperdayfroma200

ThevoltagefromasinglePVmoduleis

littlemaintenance. Thesizeandcostofa

footdrilledwell.Theequipmentcostsabout

usuallylowandnothazardous.Systems

PVwaterpumpingsystemdependsonthe

$3000.Installationcostsareadditional.

withseveralmodulesandbatteriesmust

qualityofsolarenergyavailableatthesite,

includeoverloadprotectionandfusesto

thepumpingdepth,thewaterdemand,and

meetlocalelectricalcodes.NYSERDAhas

systempurchaseandinstallationcosts.

programstoassistwiththeinstallationof

Thereareseveralcompaniesthat

gridconnectedPVsystems.Formore

manufacturesystemsdesignedforpumping

informationcheckoutADetailedGuide

waterfromwells,ponds,orstreams.

toInstallingaSolarElectricSystem

AlthoughtodayspricesforPVpanelsmake

atwww.PowerNaturally.orgorcallusat

mostcropirrigationsystemstooexpensive,

1866NYSERDAandrequesttheguide.

PVsystemsareverycosteffectiveforremote

Besuretoalsovisit

livestockwatersupply,pondaeration,and

www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/farmer_pv.html

smallirrigationsystems.Forexample,a

PVSYSTEMSAREVERYSAFE.

Foranimalgrazingoperations,PVpowered
pumpscanofferthemosteconomicaland
lowestmaintenanceoptiontosupplywater
inremotepastures. Pumpsandcontrollers
specificallydesignedforPVhavebeenusedin
thewesternUnitedStatesforyearsandare
alsoproventoworkinNewYorkforseasonal
use.FormoreinformationonPVwater
pumping,visit:
http://attra.ncat.org/attrapub/pdf/solarlswater.pdf
orwww.usda.govandsearchfor
solarwaterpumping.

systemthatincludesa128wattPVarray

Thefollowingwebsitesaregoodsourcesofinformationabout
solarenergyandsolarenergyforagriculture.

LIGHTING
Evenwhenutilitypowerisavailablenearby,

bethecheapestoptionforoutbuildings.The

VENTILATION

costofatransformerandrunningwiresto

Certainagricultureenterprisessuch

wherethelightisneededcanaddup.

aschickenandturkeyfarmsmust

AsimplePVsystemcanoperatelowor

haveconstantventilationduringthe

highpressuresodiumlights,aswellas

hotsummermonths.Thebodyheat

fluorescentandincandescentbulbs.

fromthousandsofbirdsinclose
proximitytoeachothercanquickly

SMALLMOTORS

killthemifelectricityislost.Since

Electricmotorswithsmallpowerneedscan

itoperateswhenthesunmakesthe

beveryhandyinremoteareasorinplaces

airthewarmest,PVcanbeanideal

whererunninganelectricallineisa

powersourceinthisinstance. Ithas

problem.PVpoweredautomaticgate

extremelyhighvalue,sinceone

openersusea14by13PVpanelto

episodeofgridpowerloss,wherethe

chargethebattery.PVisalsousedtorun

PVtakesoverandsavesthebirds,

aerationfansingrainstoragebinsandto

couldpayforalargepartofthe

powerautomaticsupplementfeeders.

systemimmediately.Sinceanimal
losseswillbeavoided,insurance
companiesmaybewilling
toreducepremiums,
therebyhelpingtopayfor
thesystem.PVpowered
ventilationcanalsohelp
relievepeakpower
requirementsonthe
grid,andmakesuseof
directcurrent(DC)motors
ratherthanconversionto
alternatingcurrent(AC)

SOLARELECTRICPOWERASSOCIATION*
www.solarelectricpower.org
SOLARENERGYINDUSTRIESASSOCIATION*
www.seia.org
THESOURCEFORRENEWABLEENERGY

ONLINESOLARBUYERSGUIDEANDBUSINESSDIRECTORY*

www.energy.sourceguides.com
NORTHAMERICANBOARDOFCERTIFIEDENERGYPRACTITIONERS*
www.nabcep.org
AMERICANSOLARENERGYSOCIETY(ASES)
www.ases.org
FLORIDASOLARENERGYCENTER
www.fsec.ucf.edu
INTERSTATERENEWABLEENERGYCOUNCIL
www.irecusa.org
DSIRE
www.dsireusa.org
NATIONALRENEWABLEENERGYLABORATORY
www.nrel.gov/solar
CENTERFORRENEWABLEENERGYANDSUSTAINABLETECHNOLOGY
www.crest.org
U.S.DEPARTMENTOFENERGY

ENERGYEFFICIENCYANDRENEWABLEENERGY

www.eere.energy.gov
NORTHCAROLINASOLARCENTER
www.ncsc.ncsu.edu
APPROPRIATETECHNOLOGYTRANSFERFORRURALAREAS
www.attra.ncat.org
U.S.DEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURE
www.usda.gov

FormoreinformationaboutNYSERDAsolarelectricenergyprograms,

whichrequiresacostly
inverter.

call1866NYSERDA

orvisitwww.PowerNaturally.org

*websitesprovidinglistsorlinkstoequipmentmanufacturers,
distributor,orinstallationandserviceproviders

10

11

AdditionalInformation

NEWYORKSTATESOLARENERGYINDUSTRIESASSOCIATION*
www.nyseia.org

usingPVtochargebatteriesforlightingmay