Tag Archive for: solar dairy

Case Study: Vermont Farmers Access Clean Energy

Farmer-members of Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative representing nearly 1,800 family farms, can now access renewable energy options for their operations. In Vermont, solar development company SunCommon has created a program to help Organic Valley farmers access and implement solar energy. SunCommon provides the financing and ownership options for solar array installation so that farmers have no upfront costs while offsetting their energy usage and receiving credits on their utility bills.

Photo Courtesy of SunCommon and Choiniere Family Farm

SunCommon offers a variety of system sizes, ranging from smaller systems to meet the needs of a single farm to community-scale systems that can power a farm plus 40 to 50 homes. The company has so far assisted 75 farmers in Vermont and New York implement solar energy, including the Choiniere Family Farm in Highgate, Vermont, which had farm infrastructure that they were planning to retire from production because of its depreciation. When the opportunity to install solar became available, the Choiniere family happily signed on, since the Organic Valley investment made the project low-risk. It turned out to be a good decision: the Choinieres were able to revive the barn by installing solar panels on the roof, which adds overall value, and turn the barn into a new milking parlor. SunCommon helped this family farm install panels that can produce 115,500 kWh each year, saving them $20,000 annually.

Photo Courtesy of SunCommon and Choiniere Family Farm

Organic Valley is the largest farmer-owned organic cooperative in the United States, with over 100 farmer-members in the state of Vermont. This program is currently accepting new Organic Valley farmers to participate. If you are in Vermont or New York and want to take advantage of reduced costs through solar energy generation with no upfront costs, follow this link to learn more.

Solar Energy Use for Energy Savings in Dairy Processing Plants

This paper focuses on the use of solar energy in the dairy industry in New Zealand. Included is an examination of historical records related to milk production and processing during peak levels of solar radiation. The study also includes an analyzation of four types of solar collectors, including: glazed flat plates, evacuated tubes, evacuated tubes with CPC reflectors and a building-integrated solar collector under development at the University of Waikato (UoW). The results of these analyzations are included in the study.

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Integration of a Solar Thermal System in a Dairy Process

This paper analyzes several scenarios of the integration of a solar thermal system in the production process of dairy. The results show that in the parameters of the scenario(s) examined in the study, solar thermal potential was considerable, and should be examined as a possibility as an energy option. These results could be considered when developing AgriSolar operations that include solar and dairy.

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Evaluation of Solar Photovoltaic Systems to Shade Cows in a Pasture-based Dairy Herd

The objective of this study was to determine the effects on grazing cattle under shade from a solar photovoltaic system.

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Electrical Consumption on Midwestern Dairy Farms in the United States and Agrivoltaics to Shade Cows in a Pasture-based Dairy System

The objectives of the thesis were to investigate electrical energy use on dairy farms located in west central Minnesota and to evaluate the effects of shade use by cattle from solar photovoltaic systems.

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Application of Solar Energy for Sustainable Dairy Development

Use of solar energy has great scope for its commercial use in the dairy processing operations as well as to design and develop solar-based refrigeration systems for dairy industry.

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Analysis of Integrating Solar Power at Cal Poly’s On-Campus Dairy Operation

This study was performed to determine the feasibility of integrating a full offset solar power unit at Cal Poly’s dairy operation. Integrating a full offset solar unit at the dairy would be an economically feasible option based on the favorable internal rate of return.

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A Review on Solar Water Heating Systems and its Use in Dairy Industry

The requirement of energy intensity and temperature range in milk-processing operations are amenable for adoption of solar energy.

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A Comprehensive Review to Study and Implement Solar Energy in Dairy Industries

In this review, analysis of triple-impact vapour ingestion refrigeration framework involving a high, medium and low-temperature generator is characterized. This review suggests the solar power-related triple impact vapour retention refrigeration for heating and cooling applications in dairy industries that should be developed.

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