A newly released report Solar Energy Use in U.S. Agriculture.
Overview and Policy Issues published by USDA’s Office of Energy
Policy and New Uses, serves as an overview of solar energy use
by farmers and ranchers in the U.S. that identifies trends and
future potential. According to USDA’s 2009 On-Farm Energy
Production Survey, ninety-three percent of farms with on-farm
renewable energy production produce solar energy and 8,000 farms
have installed a solar energy system on their farm. On-farm
solar energy production has increased significantly in the last
decade. Sixty-three percent of solar panels in agriculture were
installed from 2005-2009 and the growth rate was almost five-
fold from 2000-2009. Solar energy projects funded under USDA’s
Rural Energy for America Program also experienced a five-fold
increase between 2007 and 2009. The report reviews the
regulations and incentives that are available to farmers and
ranchers, which has recently boosted installations, and also
examines major financial influences.