Agriculture & Livestock Solar

Solar and wind powered watering systems have been in use by farmers and ranchers throughout the US and internationally for many years. When power is needed in a remote area for livestock watering or irrigation, solar or wind power can provide reliable, economical alternatives to utility power. Innovative Solar Solutions, Inc. has been designing solar water pumping systems since 1999, and has designed and supplied hundreds of systems throughout the world.

Some Common uses of solar and wind power for agricultural applications include:

• Solar water pumping for livestock
• Solar water pumping for irrigation
• Solar pond aeration systems
• Other remote power needs
  

Click below for links to many incentives and grants that are available to farmers and ranchers:

• USDA Section 9006 Energy Program
• NRCS Cost Share Programs
• 2008 Farm Bill Conservation Programs

Recent solar water pumping project designed by Innovative Solar Solutions:

Clover Hill Farm - Marshall, VA

Innovative Solar Solutions designed this gravity-fed livestock watering system in the Virginian foothills to supply 2 1500 gallon cisterns located on 2 hilltops on opposite ends of this cattle farm. The single Grundfos SQ Flex pump can supply 3200 gallons per day while overcoming 180' of total lift. Other features of this pump system include overcoming 3000 feet of horizontal distance and 100 vertical feet from the well to the second cistern and still maintaining a flow rate of 9 GPM. High quality float valves from CLA-VAL were used to facilitate the filling of 2 tanks from 1 pump. A pressure switch is used to turn the pump off once both tanks are filled/both float valves are closed.

 Wetlands Creation - Salt Lake City, UT

Innovative Solar Solutions designs and supplies equipment for a wetlands creation project. The system pictured above, along with a second identical system, are supplying over 35,000 gallons per day - each - in order to create and replace a nearby wetland environment that was destroyed. A Zomeworks passive tracker enables the system to operate for an extended period of time - 7-9 hours per day - allowing as much water as possible to be pumped each day. The shallow, with static water levels of less than 50',  wells are being pumped with Grundfos SQ Flex centrifugal pumps and a generator is used during the evening to increase the wells production. Combined with a generator, this system can produce 55,000 gallons per day.