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Solar
HARVEST
Agricultural Solar Incentives
Section 179 of the IRS Tax code* incentivizes businesses to invest in equipment to deduct the full price of the equipment from their gross annual income during the current tax year. You can deduct the full purchase price of equipment from your gross income up to $1,000,000.
Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
In SREC markets like Illinois, the Renewable Energy Portfolio requires electric suppliers to secure a portion of their electricity from renewable sources. You receive financial compensation for the clean energy your solar system produces. SRECs can cover up to 40% of your system's total cost.
Net-Metering
Use your utility's grid as your battery. Net-metering measures the power delivered to your home and power received by the utility from your solar array. At the end of the month, excess kWh credits are used to offset your electricity consumption.
30% Federal Investment Tax Credit
The Federal ITC credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the income taxes that a person or company claiming the credit would otherwise pay the federal government. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extended the ITC at 30% for residential solar energy systems until 2033.
USDA REAP Grant for Small Businesses
If a business is located in a rural area with a population size under 50,000—and also meets the definition of “small business”—the USDA REAP grant can provide up to 50% in grant funding. Even businesses with several hundred employees can potentially meet the definition of “small business.”
Green farming is growing
Farmers have been pressured to increase production to meet the demand of a growing population. This may require employing more efficient measures to ensure maximum output. Unfortunately, efficiency doesn’t always mesh with sustainability, so commercial operations have had to make some modifications to find a balance between serving the public and protecting the planet.
Green farming utilizes different technology and practices in order to decrease detrimental impact on the environment. According to the farming resource NuFarming, agricultural operations have a significant impact on climate change. Simply adopting some new practices can lessen that impact.
SOLAR POWER
Growing plants are not the only thing on a farm that can benefit from the sun. Farmers can convert a portion or all of their power needs to solar. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are benefits when solar companies and farmers work together. Solar developers reduce installation costs and upfront risk by placing solar modules on previously tilled agricultural land. Vegetation under modules also can contribute to lower soil temperatures and increased solar performance. Agricultural land managers can reduce energy costs and diversify their revenue streams with solar. Plus, they can market products to sustainability-minded customers. Solar is not the only renewable energy option. Farmers can incorporate wind and hydroelectric power as well.
CROP ROTATION
This farming technique has been used for thousands of years and involves growing different crops in different seasons over a period of time. Farmers reduce the chances for pests and diseases becoming problems in the soil because frequent crop changes prevent invaders from gaining a foothold. Farmers use fewer fertilizers and pesticides as a result.
HYDROPONIC AND AQUAPONIC STRATEGIES
Farmers can improve productivity while also reducing environmental impact with these two growing methods. NuEnergy states that hydroponic systems grow plants in mineral solutions or in materials like perlite or gravel. Aquaponics involves raising aquatic animals in addition to growing crops. The waste from the fish and other marine life is used to offer nutrients to the plants by growing them in this nutrient-rich water. Both methods remove the need for soil.
DRIP IRRIGATION
Drip irrigation methods deliver water to the roots of plants through a series of pipes or tubes. Because water is not being sprayed into the air through sprinklers and other methods, less is lost to evaporation, and less water overall may be needed to provide for crops.
PLASTICULTURE
Plastic seems like it may not have a purpose on the farm, but recycled plastic, which is used in plastic mulch, can help produce plentiful crops with less water. Plastic mulches raise soil temperatures and insulate against evaporation so plants can grow faster and mature sooner. Invasive weeds also may be less likely to take root in plastic mulch or when crops are grown on black plastic.
NATURAL PESTICIDES
Farmers can introduce plants that pests tend not to like to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. For example, interspersing crops with natural bug repellants, such as basil, lavender and lemongrass, may keep insects at bay. Alliums, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and other flowers planted nearby also may deter bugs.
Green farming is something more agricultural operations may want to adopt.
