Valley Irrigation, based in Omaha, Nebraska, has partnered with Farmers National Company, the nation’s leading land and mineral management firm, to complete the company's first ag solar installation within North America. The installation will provide sustainable power to the landowner by efficiently converting the sun’s rays to clean energy.

Solar energy offers numerous benefits for agricultural irrigation, including energy savings, efficiency, reduced environmental impact and potential tax savings through incentive programs.

The installation is located near Davenport, Nebraska, and will provide solar power to a Valley center pivot by offsetting energy consumption used to irrigate the field. Farmers National Company’s landowner client invested in Tier 1 solar panels, which are the highest-quality panels and are also used on major utility-sized installations. They are built to withstand the often-harsh conditions of Nebraska weather, including strong winds and hail. The components/inverters will provide greater than 94 per cent efficiency in converting DC (direct current) energy into AC (alternating current) energy. The pivot size and configuration will produce green renewable energy for the next 25 to 35 years, equaling the lifespan of the pivot. It will also produce recurring revenue for the landowner through a buy/sell agreement with the local utility group.  

Source:  Valley Irrigation  July 11, 2022 news release