Purdue Extension will present a workshop in Rochester to show the benefits of solar energy used on farms and in rural small businesses.
The Solar Energy Applications for Agriculture Workshop will be from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Fulton County Fairgrounds, 1009 W. Third St.
This is an educational program to show how solar energy panels operate, said Chad Martin, an Extension renewable energy specialist.
"There's been growing interest in adopting solar energy on farms due to the reduced cost of insulation," Martin said. "So we want to showcase projects that have occurred in Indiana to get farmers and rural small businesses interested in different models of solar photovoltaic and solar hot water insulations."
Topics and presenters:
- "Welcome and introductions:" Martin, Purdue Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering.
- "Indiana Utility Demand and Rates Forecast:" Doug Gotham, director of the Indiana Utility Forecasting Group.
- "Solar PV Project Development for Agriculture:" Jim and Michael Straeter, New Holland Rochester Inc. and Ag Technologies Inc.
- "Fulton County REMC Net Metering Program:" Greg Bitterling, member services manager and energy adviser at Fulton REMC.
- "The Tipmont REMC Community Solar PV Project:" Jason Monroe, energy management supervisor at Tipmont REMC.
- "Solar Thermal Hot Water Applications for Agriculture:" Don Frank, owner of Solar UV SolutionsLLC.
- "U.S. Department of Agriculture’s REAP Grant and Loan Guarantee Program:" Curtis Johnson, business programs specialist at USDA Rural Development.
- "Solar Installation Tours:" Weaver Farm and the USDA Farm Service Agency for solar energy project tour.
Source:purdue.edu