Case studies

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Grid connected solar irrigation case studies, JW Powell & JM Welsh, Cotton Info

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Solar Pumping Solutions hybrid solar pumping system for large scale irrigation, Narromine NSW (YouTube)

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Karalee Nursery (Qld),  Farmers Federation

Lighting upgrade, Power Factor Correction (PFC) and a 30.4kW Solar PV system. Annual energy savings over $14,700.  Payback around 5½ years. 

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Big Stawberry, (Vic), Energy Matters

Installed 20kW solar PV system. 

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Yalumba Case Study (SA) (1.39MW), AGL

Developed a cost effective and renewable energy solution for its three Barossa Valley sites & reduced energy consumption by 18%. It is the largest solar system installation at an Australian winery.

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No-fuss solar helps farmer cut pumping costs (Qld) Clean Energy Finance Corporation 

Cotton and chickpea farm installed a 25kW PV system to serve an 18kW bore pump. With a total cost after Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECS), of $37,600, the system is saving over $8,000 each year in electricity costs. The farm can also earn up to $5,000 per year for exporting surplus power.

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Energy and food together: Under solar panels, crops thrive (US), PRI

Honey producers keep bees at three solar farms where developers seeded native plants underneath and around panels.

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Agriculture And Electricity Generation – Solar + Fungus Farms, Solar Quotes

Japanese are using the land beneath the panels to grow Kikurage mushroom which is a high value product that that grows naturally with little sunlight in moist-deciduous to wet evergreen forests. 

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Australian desert farm grows 17,000 metric tons of vegetables with just seawater and sun, 2016, Inhabitat

Sundrop Farms grows crops in a hydroponic greenhouse lined with water-drenched cardboard.

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Sundrop Farms (SA)  - Changing energy, the most efficient harvesting of the sun

(solar thermal used to provide electricity, steam and desalination to produce irrigation water for the site)

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​On farm power generation Solar photovoltaics (PV), Applied Horticulture Research, Parkside Energy &  Horticulture Australia

Case studies: 

• loose leaf lettuce company in Gingin, WA

• vegetable grower, ​Lockyer Valley, Qld

• vegetable and herb grower and  processing company, Bundaberg, Qld

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RFM Poultry invests in solar energy for Victorian farms, Solar Professionals 

100 kW solar systems have been installed on each of the four farms. 

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Farm Diversification Special: Solar Sam Albanese, 2018, The Farm Table

• Solar farm integrated into horticultural business.  

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