Solar power plants for agriculture

Solar power plants of various types are used in agriculture. Very often there is a technical possibility to place solar panels directly on arable land without prejudice to the main activity of an agricultural enterprise for growing agricultural products. Our company designs and installs solar PV power plants for agricultural enterprises of any size and ownership. Our projects include agrivoltaic solutions, solar power plants for elevators and granaries, as well as solar power plants for greenhouses.

Solar power plants for farmers

Solar PV power plants for farmers are one of the most promising and investment-attractive directions for the development of Ukrainian renewable energy. There are several main drivers of growing interest of farmers in the installation of photovoltaic plants:

• The period of the highest productivity of solar power plants coincides with the period of the highest activity of farmers, therefore, the generation of solar electricity can fully cover its own consumption. In addition, the generation point is located in the immediate vicinity of the facility, which minimizes losses in the transmission of electricity.
• The desire to provide oneself with electricity and not depend on fluctuations in the cost of electricity in the market – the life of a solar power plant is at least 25-30 years. In fact, the cost of generated electricity is fixed for this time period. Reducing the cost of energy storage and storage systems using high-capacity lithium batteries makes it possible to ensure complete autonomy of facilities. It should also be noted here that the power system is heavily worn out, which leads to an increase in the number of outages due to line accidents or overloads.
• Reducing costs and construction time when launching new facilities – installing a solar power plant for farmers makes it possible to avoid the lengthy process of drawing up and agreeing on a project for connecting to a common energy system, laying power lines (especially if the facility is located remotely), as well as purchasing additional equipment (substations, funds automation, etc.). When installing a solar power plant, time for project implementation is significantly reduced, because there is no need to coordinate the project.
• The use of mobile kits to provide energy for seasonal consumers – the experience of Mexico and India, where solar power plants are actively used as a source of energy for pumping stations, can be cited as an example.
• A solar power plant for farmers is a profitable investment, taking into account the current electricity prices in Ukraine, it will fully pay for itself within 5-8 years.

Solar power plant by Avenston for a farmers: profitable, affordable and convenient

The specialists of our company have unique many years of experience in implementing solar energy solutions for farms. We worked and are working throughout Ukraine, but most of the photovoltaic projects were introduced by us in the Kirovograd, Poltava and Khmelnitsky regions. Avenston offers turnkey support for renewable energy projects. Since at the first stages of negotiations it is not always possible to accurately estimate the cost and timing of the project, planning requires close cooperation between the contractor and the customer. We offer our clients an integrated approach to the construction of solar power plants:

• Project audit, including collection and analysis of initial project data (title documents for land, results of engineering surveys, etc.).
• Coordination of technical specifications for the project.
• Development of a schedule for the implementation of work on the project.
• Preparation of a preliminary and final commercial proposal.
• Preparation of the financial model of the project (if necessary).
• Signing a general contract for the design and construction of a solar power plant.
• Gathering and refinement of pre-project output.
• Development and coordination of the working draft, passing of PD examination.
• Obtaining the necessary permits to start construction work.
• Equipment supplying.
• Construction and installation work.
• Technical acceptance of the object for correspondence with project documentation.
• Connecting solar power to the networks.
• Commissioning and trial operation.
• Registration of licenses and «green» tariff.
• Operation and monitoring.
• Service maintenance.

In some cases, individual items from the above list may be missing or go in a different sequence.

Solar power plants for farmers: the benefits

A solar power plant for an agricultural enterprise is an opportunity to generate additional income through the use of land that is unsuitable for agricultural use. Previously empty unattended areas are perfect for the installation of equipment for solar power plants.

However, the installation of a solar power plant does not mean at all that the land plot becomes completely unsuitable for agricultural work. There are several combination options:

• The gaps between the sets of solar modules can be sown with actively flowering plants and an apiary can be installed on the territory of solar power plant – the work of the PV station is absolutely safe and harmless to bees.
• Mounts for solar panels can be mounted at a height that leaves room for poultry (ducks, geese) and small livestock to graze. The experience of solar farm plants in the USA and Switzerland shows that sheep can be used for grazing – they will not damage equipment (unlike the much more aggressive goats), while eating grass, they solve the problem of shading of solar panels.
• Agrovoltaics – the possibility of combining the cultivation of agricultural products and the generation of solar electricity – is in the process of active research. Already, the developments of European and American scientists show that the installation of solar panels on the land used for planting crops has a positive effect on their yield. Thanks to the shade created, the evaporation of moisture from the soil is reduced, so the plants grow better.

Other advantages of solar power plants for farmers should be noted:

• The ability to position yourself as a producer of organic products with a minimum carbon footprint is especially important for exporters of products to the European market.
• The solar power plant does not have any negative impact on the environment, so all products remain environmentally friendly. It has been established that the installation of solar panels on the ground does not in any way affect the microclimate of the soil, its composition remains the same.
• Easy to operate – the entire power generation process is fully automated, so there is no need to hire additional workers.
• Long period between maintenance of the solar power plant.
• Variety of solar power plant installation – it is possible to install solar panels on the ground or on the roof of livestock complexes, warehouses and other buildings.
• After the end of the operation of the solar power plant or its transfer to another place, the soil remains suitable for further use for its intended purpose.

Avenston’ solar services for agriculture

Our company offers services for the design of solar power plants for agriculture. We have a lot of practical experience in this area. We can also not only design, but also build your solar power plant. Avenston is an experienced general contractor in the solar energy sector, as evidenced by the large list of projects we have completed. We have built dozens of photovoltaic systems of various types and capacities: the company’s portfolio includes ground-based, rooftop and BIPV solar power plants. In addition to the design and construction of solar energy facilities, Avenston is also engaged in direct supplies of equipment (solar panels, solar inverters, PV cables, etc.), as well as provides operation and maintenance (O&M) services for solar power plants. A complete list of our solar energy services can be found in the relevant section of this website. Working with Avenston, you will receive the maximum technical expertise and professional support at all stages of the design, construction and operation of a solar power plant.