Farmers hardly need convincing when it comes to taking advantage of the power of the sun. Yet these days, farmers have found a new use for it. A growing number of farms are turning to solar installations to power their operations in a time of both environmental and economic uncertainty.
Solar power stands apart from fossil fuels in terms of both the way energy is produced and how it can be controlled. Unlike fossil fuel operations, people and communities can own and control small-scale solar power installations, saving on their energy bills and even generating credits. In a context where climate change and economic reforms have made farming increasingly vulnerable, solar power is an opportunity to save on energy costs and build on self-sufficiency while contributing to a just transition away from fossil fuels.
There is a difference between solar farms and solar-powered farms: While some farmers are finding that using agricultural lands to host massive solar farms instead of growing crops is profitable, we’re talking about the the ways farmers are using solar energy to power their farms. This includes using solar for irrigation systems, crop and grain drying operations, greenhouses, water pumps and other electrical needs.
Examples of farmers using solar power run across a wide gamut. As reported on Green Energy Futures, the largest solar-powered farm in Western Canada is the Green Acres Hutterite colony. The move to solar was driven by principle and economics: “Every piece of our colony's livelihood is an asset and is very important,” resident Dan Hofer told Green Energy Futures. “You grow and supply your own meat, you grow and supply your own garden and vegetables as much as possible, so [solar power] falls kind of in the same category. It's self-sufficient. You’re relying on your own resources; you're not relying on someone else.”
On the other end of the spectrum is the Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School, a newly-developed 20 acre educational farm on British Columbia’s lower mainland that fuses sustainable agriculture and traditional indigenous food systems. A partnership between the Tsawwassen First Nation and Kwantlen Polytech University, the farm chose solar power instead of establishing a new hydro connection. “We were looking at spending money for hydro, but solar is sustainable, fits our philosophy and provides good learning opportunities for students” said manager and coordinator Corine Singfield. “Solar was a bit of an initial capital investment, but we think we’d be spending an average of six thousand dollars a year for our cooler. After a certain number of years, we’ll recoup the cost.”
Solar-powered agriculture has caught the attention of not only Albertan farmers, but the Governments of Alberta and Canada. The On-Farm solar Management program will provide $500,000 in provincial and federal funding towards solar energy systems on Alberta farms. While we support this announcement, stronger policies must be in place to ensure that solar power benefits farmers and communities instead of just the big players. That’s why the Solar4All campaign is all about community solar, or solar facilities that are owned by the individuals and communities they serve.
Click here to find out more or to get involved and to help ensure Alberta’s solar move is truly one of, by and for the people.
