In the Midwest, farmers leading the way on solar power

midwestenergynews ^ | 1-27-14 | Karen Uhlenhuth

[TurboZamboni]

Solar installations have been taking off in many areas of the Midwest, but perhaps nowhere more so than in farm country. “It’s a huge buzz now throughout the agriculture industry,” said Todd Miller, sales director for CB Solar in Ankeny, Iowa. In Washington County, Iowa, for example, farmers with access to an unusual and lucrative combination of federal, state and utility incentives were anticipating payback periods of as little as two years, according to Ed Raber, director of the county’s economic development corporation.

In Washington County, Iowa, for example, farmers with access to an unusual and lucrative combination of federal, state and utility incentives were anticipating payback periods of as little as two years, according to Ed Raber, director of the county’s economic development corporation.

[TurboZamboni]

... an unusual and lucrative combination of federal, state and utility incentives

[digger48]

Harvesting the Wind tax subsidies

[lacrew]

I am shocked that an Iowa farmer would be so skilled in getting ‘incentives’ from the government.

[cripplecreek]

LOL yeah that one popped right out at me too.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Iowa needs to get demoted in the primary system.

Maybe they can have their straw poll the same day as California has its primary since they seem to both be so keen on government subsidies.

[TurboZamboni]

now if they could just get a pro sports stadium (with a train station)added to the corn field...

[BfloGuy]

farmers with access to an unusual and lucrative combination of federal, state and utility incentives were anticipating payback periods of as little as two years

As if the ethanol subsidies and the milk supports weren't enough.

[AZLiberty]

In the Midwest, farmers leading the way on solar power to the federal trough.

When payback on an "investment" comes from taxpayer money, it's theft, pure and simple. If Bernie Madoff had stolen money this way, he could have avoided prison.

[Paladin2]

Farms are already solar energy conversion operations.

[glorgau]

Farmers doing something with a large government handout. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

[sphinx]

Solar has a legitimate growing market for off grid applications, as the cost has come down significantly over the past decade. That said, this does indeed sound mostly like subsidy farming.

I live in the city. My next door neighbor put solar panels on his roof a few years ago. I am not bashful about such things, so I asked how much it cost. He said the out of pocket cost to him was about $3,000. Then I asked how much of a subsidy he had gotten. He said total project cost was about $30,000 from a maze of federal and city incentives.

A lot of options become attractive if someone else will pay 90% of the cost.

[I got the rope]

hmmm...wonder who is paying for those “incentives”

[Trod Upon]

Farmers milking their neighbors yet again.

[PLMerite]

“I am shocked that an Iowa farmer would be so skilled in getting ‘incentives’ from the government.”

Wait until they start giving out ‘cold fusion’ subsidies.