![]() ![]() In 2017, Arkansans consumed over 12,000 kilowatts of electricity on average. Hood was able to reduce the overall price of installation by 25 percent with the help of a USDA grant.īusinesses are able to depreciate the majority of the cost of a solar system in addition to the 30 percent tax credit for all solar installs, according to officials with Delta SunEnergy, the company that installed Hood's solar arrays.īut the purpose of solar farms in the agriculture industry goes well beyond helping out farmers' bottom line. That's $30,000 in savings each year, which provides an extra layer of security from rising energy costs.ĭelta SunEnergy noted an operation of Hood's scale cost about $300,000 with a return on investment of five to six years. "If I was paying just my electric bills, this facility here cost me about $30,000," he said. Hood believes in the long-term, Solar will provide that extra financial cushion. He noted farming is in a crisis across the country due to ongoing trade disputes between the U.S. The proposed economic advantages are what tempted hood in the first place to go solar. "We're utilizing the sun everyday to grow our crops so with this, it's just another aspect of it that we're taking advantage of," Hood said. The arrays have been soaking up the sun since June. His operation involves 625 panels plotted on a little over an acre. He also serves as president of the Arkansas Soybean Association. Within the state's agriculture community, Hood is one of the early adopters of solar technology. "I think you're born to farm, not you learn to farm," Hood said. Rice, corn and soybeans are among the prominently grown crops. ![]() Hood's farming family in Arkansas dates back to the late 1800s. "I believe solar is going to be as practical on a farm as a tractor in the next five years," Hood of Desha County said. In the town of Tillar, a farmer named AJ Hood relies on an alternative source of energy to power his grain bins. (KATV) - Southern Arkansas is amassed with farmland that spans far and wide. The plant is projected to reduce Producers’ carbon emissions by 867,000 metric tons.DESHA COUNTY, Ark. Producers Rice Mill Board Chairman Jay Coker says the rice mill has worked to reduce its footprint by reducing water use, reducing greenhouse gases and more. “We anticipate this project will result in two-thirds of the electricity consumption at our Stuttgart operations being provided by solar power. We project savings of more than $100 million on our electricity bills over the next 30 years,” Glover said in a statement. “These savings will be passed along to our more than 2,000 hard-working farm family members. This landmark project continues a proud tradition of our members improving the sustainability of growing and processing rice, while providing one of the world’s most important foods.”Ĭompany officials also cite the environmental impact of the solar plant. He estimates that using solar power will fulfill 67 percent of Producers’ annual electricity needs in Stuttgart. Producers CEO Keith Glover says the solar project is projected to save the company $100 million over 30 years in electricity bills. According to these figures, the power plant’s yearly output will average 40,885,000 kWh. Over the course of 30 years, it is expected to produce more than 1,226,550,000 kWh of electricity. According to Producers officials, the power plant is expected to generate 44,200,000 kWh of electricity in its first year of operation alone. ![]()
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