Green power investment pays egg farmers various dividends

Egg farms can make ideal locations for solar panels helping to tackle climate change and align with consumer demands for greater sustainability.

Solar energy can help to shine a positive light in any marketing communications as well has help egg farmers reduce their solar footprint. (Dr. Vincent Guyonnet)
Solar energy can help to shine a positive light in any marketing communications as well has help egg farmers reduce their solar footprint. (Dr. Vincent Guyonnet)

Egg producers could gain in multiple ways by looking to solar power, not only helping to mitigate climate change but, at the same time, aligning with key consumer concerns. 

Earlier this year, the United Nations Development Programme, along with the University of Oxford, published the results of a global survey into public attitudes towards climate change.  A total of 1.2 million respondents from 50 countries volunteered their opinions on the urgency of climate action as well as their level of support for various policies to tackle this global challenge.  

Among the 18 policies proposed to these global citizens, the four most popular climate policies were: conservation of forests and land (54 percent support); solar, wind and renewable power (53 percent); climate-friendly farming techniques (52 percent); and, investing more in green businesses and jobs (50 percent).

It seems clear that, in the minds of consumers, agriculture and food production need to adopt more sustainable practices and investing in renewable sources of energy may be a good place for egg farmers to start.  

The benefits of solar

Solar panels, or photovoltaic (PV) modules, have been with us for some time although their cost has limited their adoption. Critics have also argued that the processing of mined quartz into silicone, the main component in 90 percent of current PV modules, required a high level of energy. Since about 70 percent of these modules are manufactured in China, most are produced using coal as a source of energy, reducing significantly their overall beneficial effects on the environment.  

However, the increased use of green energy in China, combined with the development of new technologies improving the efficiency of conversion of the light energy into electricity, are now making the adoption of PV modules more relevant. 

In some cases, the energy payback time (EPBT), defined as the required period for the PV module to produce the same amount of energy as that used to produce it, is less than two years. Additionally, the price of producing electricity using PV modules has decreased by 91 percent since 2010 and is now estimated to be US$0.2 / Watt by the International Energy Agency. With a shorter payback time and longer lifespan, it is now time to consider adopting these PV modules on our farms.

Farms are great locations for installing PV modules. They are typically located on vast areas of land, away from neighbors and properly secured. We also have the option to install these PV modules on the rooves of our new barns.  

Moreover, solar panels also make for great visual on promotional materials and consumer advertising campaigns.  With the new consumer concern for sustainability, the presence of solar panels on our farms will make it easier for egg farmers to demonstrate their commitment to a greener way of producing eggs.

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