Commercial and industrial (C&I) and community solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firms and project developers are increasingly challenged to find innovative ways to enhance the value proposition of solar installations. Agrivoltaics, the practice of integrating solar energy and agriculture, has emerged as a promising option due to its wide range of benefits.

Agrivoltaic systems bundled with battery storage and advanced solar technologies enable agricultural operations to maximize land efficiency and address critical energy challenges, such as rising electricity costs, climate change, and increasing input prices that squeeze profit margins.

Although agrivoltaics involves any type of dual-purpose land use, including solar and farming, ranching, pollinator habitats, and more, this article will explore the benefits of agrivoltaics for poultry farms and provide key takeaways for EPCs and developers to incorporate these benefits into sales pitches and close deals with agricultural operations successfully. 

The Energy Benefits of Agrivoltaics for Poultry Operations

Energy expenditures account for a sizable portion of agricultural operating costs and have become a critical factor in farm profitability as producers increasingly rely on electricity-intensive technologies to optimize production. The Purdue Ag Economy Barometer noted that farmer sentiment toward economic conditions often fluctuates based on energy costs and market uncertainties.

For poultry farms, in particular, electricity serves as a critical input for heating and cooling systems, ventilation, lighting, and feed processing, with farms raising heavier birds typically incurring higher annual electricity costs than those raising lighter birds. Peak demand charges account for nearly 50% of some farm’s monthly electricity bills. These costs vary throughout the year. Broiler houses often require four times more electricity in summer than in winter due to cooling needs, with ventilation fans accounting for 88% of demand on average and the most significant contributor to peak demand.

Solar panels can provide a stable, predictable source of electricity while reducing dependency on external grid supplies. When paired with battery storage, these systems can ensure uninterrupted power supply during outages or peak demand periods.

Key Takeaway

Understand your audience: Farmers may not be familiar with solar technology but are acutely aware of their energy challenges. Frame your pitch around solving these pain points by highlighting the financial strain caused by rising energy costs and how solar and storage can remedy this.

The Economic Benefits of Agrivoltaics for Poultry Operations

Depending on the system size, solar can offset 60–100% of a farm’s electricity consumption. For an average broiler and pullet farmer, these savings could translate to $25,000–$40,000 annually (assuming $0.12–$0.20/kWh) for an average mid-sized broiler facility that consumes 200,000 kWh annually.

The Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) allows developers to offer farmers more attractive pricing models. With up to 30% of project costs eligible for tax credits, agrivoltaic systems become even more financially viable.

Additionally, agrivoltaics introduces the potential for diversified revenue streams. Farmers can lease land for solar installations or directly benefit from reduced electricity bills if they own the system. A recent study showed that solar lease payments can range from $1,250 to $1,500 per acre annually, significantly higher than the average of $146-$276 for agricultural leases. This additional income can stabilize farm finances and support long-term investments in infrastructure or technology.

• Protip: Developers or EPCs can use the University of Arkansas System’s Division of Agriculture, Research & Extension’s handy tool to calculate a poultry farm’s electricity consumption: “Divide the total kWh used during a two-year period (to account for any year-to-year fluctuation), by the pound of live weight produced over the two years. Then multiply by 1,000.”

Key Takeaway

Emphasize the economics: Position agrivoltaics as a dual-income opportunity that reduces energy expenses while generating lease or production revenues backed with specific financial figures to underline the economic advantages.

The Productivity Benefits of Agrivoltaics for Poultry Operations

Climate change further exacerbates pressures on poultry farms. Heat stress reduces feed efficiency and increases mortality in poultry flocks. Broilers can lose around 3% of body weight per °F above 75°F, costing up to $0.10 per bird in lost yield.

Agrivoltaics goes beyond energy generation; it creates synergies between solar installations and productivity by addressing these pain points head-on. Co-locating solar arrays with poultry farms creates microclimates that improve animal welfare. For instance, solar panels positioned above poultry houses or open grazing areas provide shade, lowering ambient temperatures, reducing evaporative cooling demands, and mitigating heat stress, which can improve poultry growth rates.

Key takeaway

Spotlight productivity boost: By installing solar panels over grazing ranges or poultry houses, farmers can slash energy bills and maintain, or even enhance, flock production — position solar as a “feed replacement,” where every kWh offset directly boosts profit per bird. 

Case for Compatibility: Bridging Solar and Agriculture

Farmers are pragmatic. They need proof that solar won’t disrupt their core operations, increase costs, or impact productivity. At the same time, many farmers are also grappling with the need to modernize their operations to remain competitive while reducing their carbon footprint. However, traditional solar installations often compete with agricultural land use, creating a dilemma for farmers who rely on that land for food production.

Agrivoltaics resolves this conflict through dual land use. A modular system design allows farmers to pilot agrivoltaics on a small scale to minimize upfront risk. Developers should consider showcasing phased deployments, where initial installations cover critical infrastructure like feed mills or hatcheries before expanding to broader acreage.

Key Takeaway

Reframe the tension: Stress compatibility with farming practices by reassuring farmers that agrivoltaic systems are designed to complement, not disrupt, existing operations. 

The TrinaPro Total Agrivoltaic Solution is Your Value-Added Differentiator

To truly maximize these benefits, the TrinaPro Total Agrivoltaic Solution offers the best route for EPCs and developers by providing these advantages:

1. Streamlined Procurement: Bundling that integrates all key components, including PV modules, battery storage, inverters, wiring, and racking systems, simplifies the procurement process and reduces delays caused by mismatched equipment or sourcing from multiple vendors. 

2. Optimized System Performance: The bundled approach ensures component compatibility. Along with advanced PV modules that are more efficient, have lower degradation rates, and perform better under low-light conditions, EPCs can deliver optimized systems with lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) over their lifetimes.

3. Lower Installation Costs: Pre-engineered designs minimize racking needs and wiring complexity, reducing balance-of-system (BOS) and labor costs.

4. Faster Payback Periods: Total agrivoltaic solutions deliver faster ROI than piecemeal installations by combining reduced upfront costs with higher energy output and revenue streams from surplus electricity sales or land leases.

Key Takeaway

Stress the value: Explain how a total agrivoltaic solution simplifies project execution while maximizing economic returns.

For C&I and community solar developers, success lies in reframing agrivoltaics from a technical product to a strategic partnership. By interweaving economic data, enhanced productivity, and compatibility, sales teams can position themselves as advisors rather than vendors. The goal is to demonstrate that agrivoltaics isn’t just about installing panels — it’s about future-proofing poultry operations in an era of energy and weather uncertainty. With the correct narrative, developers can transform skepticism into collaboration, one solar-powered farm at a time.

Learn more about the TrinaPro Total Agrivoltaic Solution: Download the latest white paper from Trinasolar US here to get more information on system sizes, technical details, costs, and payback periods.

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