SunCommon has introduced its participation within the “Low Carbon Dairy” pilot program with Ben & Jerry’s to assist Vermont dairy farms. The multi-faceted program affords many various approaches to bettering dairy farm sustainability together with going photo voltaic. A kind of farms is the 70+ cow 4 Women Dairy farm in Fairfax, Vermont (named after the proprietor’s 4 daughters).
“Our aim is to make it simple for Vermont farmers to go photo voltaic,” stated James Moore, co-founder at SunCommon and president at iSun. “With Ben & Jerry’s program, we are able to supply Vermont’s dairy farmers photo voltaic choices and take away the monetary barrier to entry into the renewable power infrastructure. And we are able to be certain that Vermont’s dairy farms proceed to thrive and stay the integral a part of the sustainable meals system that they’re.”
4 Women Dairy engaged SunCommon to put in a 72-kW roof-mounted photo voltaic system on its principal dairy barn, the place the milking parlor, feed stall and workplaces are positioned.
The mission was made attainable by a financing program that SunCommon manages with SunWealth, a clear power funding agency, and a grant from Ben & Jerry’s. Farmers profit from a completely funded photo voltaic set up with no upfront prices. They then reap the rewards of their photo voltaic — offsetting nearly all of their electrical energy utilization and receiving credit on their utility payments.
“I at all times needed to energy the farm with renewable power,” stated Peter Rainville, who took over possession and administration of the farm in 2000 when it was handed down by a member of the family. “I additionally needed to do sufficient to run the complete farm, but it surely wasn’t possible. When the chance got here from Ben & Jerry’s to work with SunCommon, it was attainable.”
Thus far, SunCommon has labored with 75 farmers in Vermont and New York on photo voltaic power tasks.
Information merchandise from SunCommon
