Renewables energy production on a farm

When Brookfield Farm began building a new barn in 2003, community members thought its sun-exposed roof would be a good place to generate solar power. Two years later, Brookfield, located in Amherst, Mass., installed a 3.8 kW solar electric system that today generates enough electricity to power walk-in coolers, greenhouse fans, the office computers and lights for its 520-member community-supported farm operation. The panels supply anywhere from 20-50 percent of the farm's electricity.

To get the project off the ground, the farm had to harness financing and technical support, as well as the sun's rays. It approached CET, which, with help from a SARE grant, connected the farm with engineering, electrical and solar energy consultants. To pay for the entire system, Brookfield landed a state energy grant and also received $15,000 in donations from its members.

"It's great to see the meter spinning fast on sunny days," said Jeff Tober, Brookfield assistant farm manager, who often shows the system to other farmers and business owners."We want to use as little as possible from the grid."

Brookfield Farm is just one example of how the sun can power everything from water pumps to lighting systems, from electric fencing to greenhouse heating.

With the high cost of running transmission lines to locations more than a half mile from a traditional power source, solar can make economic sense. Grants and tax incentives offered by some states can also make a big difference. And the technology is improving: Today's photovoltaic (PV) panels are easy to install and maintain, long-lived (up to about 25 years) and come with extended warranties. That said, the price of solar panels can fluctuate widely, depending on availability and other market forces.