Commercial Solar Power Systems and Agriculture

You might have heard about big businesses switching to commercial solar panels and thought that wasn’t the best move for your business. Solar isn’t just for big business. As time goes by, it is getting harder to deny that solar has many benefits for any business and especially for agriculture businesses in Nevada. 

 

Top Advantages of Commercial Solar

 

One of the long-term benefits of going solar is that commercial solar power gives you a great return on investment. It significantly reduces your operating costs once they are paid off. Another advantage is that it also helps predict your energy bills and takes the unpredictability of energy prices out of the mix. And most of all it increases your property value.

 

Farmer’s Guide To Going Solar

A growing number of agriculture businesses have been switching to commercial solar panels as a primary form of energy. There are a lot of misconceptions about solar panels and farms. One of the advantages of commercial solar and why it’s a good fit for agriculture businesses is that it reduces electricity costs. It can additionally diversify your revenue stream and increase your ability to install shade-resistant crops. Power your farm with commercial solar panels, and it automatically becomes a marketing opportunity to audiences who take a liking to sustainable businesses. It also enables you to keep up crop production during solar generation. Along with that, power systems of this kind help reduce water usage and extend your growing seasons.

 

Are There Any Downsides to Going Commercial Solar On Farms?

Research shows that it is rather doubtful that the materials in solar panels can contaminate the soil since the most widespread solar modules are silicon-based PV cells. Several studies indicate that crop temperature under solar modules was similar to that of full sun. Besides, soil temperatures at night are less than that of the soil that’s in the sun all day. Additionally, there have been no signs that link solar with pest issues. However, some other studies suggest that native plants tend to thrive under solar installations.

 

If you wonder whether crops will heat and dry up under solar modules, we’re glad to let you know that the answer is no. Crops under commercial solar installations are kept cooler during the day and warmer during the night. This means that it balances out, making the environment in which the crops grow very similar to the one under the sun. There has been no research that shows that solar installations impacted the growth rates on farms.

Overall, this research shows that agricultural businesses should start investing in commercial solar panels. There are no negative sides to it. Alongside the decreasing prices of solar panels and all of the rebates and tax credits, your solar ends up paying for itself. It reduces your energy costs by a lot. Let’s leave behind the misconceptions about commercial solar systems being for big businesses as it is just that, a misconception.

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Nevada is Ready to Go Solar! Pricing VS Savings

Nevada is known for its sunny weather. There’s no better place for going solar. Not to mention the benefits of pricing and savings if you decide to switch to solar in Las Vegas. It is the best option out there for homes and businesses. You will cut down on costs as well as make use of the weather. 

Solar panel prices have fallen by more than 80% in the last 10 years. There’s also the Nevada tax credits in 2021 as well as the Net metering program, all of this makes the point for itself that having home solar is a good option. 

The state has set a goal to get 50% of its energy from renewable sources. This may lead utility companies in Las Vegas to create new incentives to get people to switch to solar.

Electricity Bills: Can Going Solar Help You to Save?

The average electric bills for Nevada residents are around $135. The average solar panel cost is around $9.000 to $11.000. It would have an average payback period of 7.4- 9.1 years and would provide around $24.000 to $31.000 in savings during 25 years. 

 

Decided to Switch to Solar? Net Metering Program is the Solution

Net metering allows you to get credit for generated solar energy that you can’t use by sending it back to the grid. Your utility company credits you near retail rates for the energy that you send. As of 2020, a kilowatt-hour of solar electricity that you send back is credit at 75% of the retail rate.

 

Federal Solar Tax Credit in Nevada

The biggest incentive that shows the pricing and savings of solar is the federal tax credit provided to homes and businesses in Nevada. At the end of 2020, the amount of credit decreased from 26% to 22% of the total cost of the solar installation. Thus, the sooner you go solar the better.

Energy Storage Incentive in Nevada

NV Energy offers two different rates for this incentive based on the time of day that you tend to use electricity. For example, if you have a Tesla Powerwall installed alongside Tesla solar panels, your Tesla Powerwall due to the TOU plan will receive around a $2.500 rebate. If you aren’t on a TOU plan you may still receive a rebate but it’ll most likely be around $1.200 on the same Powerwall. This shows how much the pricing and savings on solar are great in Nevada.

Due to these incentives, you can see that the advantages of going solar are huge! Not to mention the fact that if you partake in these incentives your solar modules end up paying for themselves. For example, the net metering programs and the federal tax scores end up saving a lot for you but they’re better the sooner you switch to solar. Considering the above mentioned, it’s easy to say that this is truly the best time to invest in solar.

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Solar Threatens Wildlife? No Way!

Solar and wind energy made up about 10% of worldwide electricity production in the first half of 2020. Therefore, with solar power becoming more and more prevalent on the international level, many people might wonder whether solar energy generation has any environmental footprints. While indeed solar energy has some adverse effects on wildlife, it is ultimately the best available option for a mass-energy generation. Indeed, there are things that you need to know in terms of solar power’s impact on the environment compared with other modes of energy generation. Does solar threaten wildlife? Let’s proceed with the article and see.

Solar Power Comes with Costs

Admittedly, after solar panel installation, you can expect to have some environmental footprint as your roof might pose some danger to birds. In 2016, it was found that around 140,000 birds die yearly because of solar farm operations in the United States. So how do solar panels affect birds? A popular theory suggests that birds often confuse solar panels with a lake and other water bodies and try to land. It goes without saying that the outcome is virtually always fatal. Indeed, there are ways to make it safe.

What Solar Panels Harm Birds the Most?

Choosing your solar panel system wisely is essential for helping the planet in the long run. In some cases, solar panel installations include a large number of mirrors that direct to a primary tower, creating an extremely high heat zone that may result in death if touched. In addition, the mirrors tend to become a hotspot for birds. To understand the full scope of this solar panel method, let’s have a look at the Ivanpah case. Ivanpah, a concentrated solar thermal factory in California, saw 7 birds die per gigawatt-hour energy production. That is over 6,000 birds throughout the year. Thus, being mindful of the cons of specific solar panel systems can allow you to make eco-friendly decisions in the long run.

How Do Solar Panels Benefit Biodiversity?

Today approximately 65% of US electricity consumption is from coal, oil, and natural gas. Needless to say that after combusting, these energy sources result in much carbon pollution, which in turn harms the environment. Things have gotten so bad that we have climate change, affecting sea levels and thus wildlife. By contrast, solar power offers an inexhaustible resource for sustainable energy generation without posing any danger in terms of carbon release. Therefore, by taking the essential step to get a solar system for your house from a reliable solar panel company like Nevada Solar Group, you contribute to the sustainable use of the Earth’s energy.

So while undeniably solar panels sometimes result in the death of birds, they are by no means the primary source of the diminishing number of birds. Factors such as habitat loss are to be blamed, which are a direct consequence of our reliance on natural gas and other nonrenewable energy sources.

Final Note

It is critical to understand that despite having some adverse effects on wildlife, solar panel systems offer us an unforeseen opportunity to harness energy sustainably and effectively, providing generations to come with a clean world.

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