Pork producer uses solar power technology to improve environment and operation

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Pork producer uses solar power technology to improve environment and operation

A Northeast Nebraska pork producer is using renewable energy to promote sustainable agriculture and offset energy consumption on his farm.

Jason Kvols tells Brownfield he installed 300 solar panels on the top of his hog barns two years ago and an app tracks the impact on the environment. “It coverts it to pounds of carbon dioxide saved through this solar system.  Over the two years, it’s up to 432,000 pounds of CO2 that my system has saved in production from two years.”

He says the $200,000 system can power his entire operation on a sunny day. “I have a transfer switch that sits on the outside.  As it produces electricity, I have inverters that convert the energy from DC to AC power and it sends it directly to my barns,” Kvols says. “Anything extra that it over produces that I’m not using on sight kicks it back to the grid.”   

And, Kvols says, he has plans to expand by adding battery storage. “The amount of energy that I overproduce would go to the batteries and not to the utility grid.  I could utilize that stored energy in the evening time when I’m not using any solar electricity.”

He says he received a 26 percent tax credit on the project and it has a 7 to 8 year payoff period.

Kvols spoke with Brownfield at this year’s Nebraska Pork Expo.

Jason Kvols:

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