State, Farmers Unite Over Solar Power

By Erin Demuth Judd, The Post-Star, Glens Falls, N.Y.

Jun. 29–Tucked just around a bend about three miles outside Salem on county Route 64, 3-Corner Field Farm doesn’t look much different than any other Washington County farm.

Or at least that’s the way it seems at first glance. It’s got quaint red barns, rolling hills, a stately old farmhouse and friendly dogs.

But it’s also got a solar hot water system on one building and a solar electric system on another.

And in the near future, owners Paul Borghard and Karen Weinberg will add another solar energy system to their Shushan farm. U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand, through a letter of support, helped the couple secure funding for this third project at 3-Corner Farm. Gillibrand, D-Greenport, did so because she believes in the problem-solving power of renewable, locally generated energy.

“Three-Corner Farm is a shining example of what our local businesses and agricultural operations can do to move us forward on a path of energy independence,” Gillibrand said. “Right now, we have a national security problem of being dependent on Middle Eastern oil.”"The solution is to focus on energy we can have here that’s homegrown,” she added.

Borghard agrees, and admitted his farm’s energy independence wouldn’t be possible without support from federal and state entities.

About 10 years ago, when Borghard and his family really began considering solar energy, they discovered they’d be pretty much on their own if they went ahead with it.

And that made it a financial impossibility.

“It was not economically feasible,” Borghard said. “The payback on our investment would have been 50 years.”

Now, however, all that’s changed.

Between state and federal tax credits, and state and federal grants, Borghard estimated the payback on the system 3-Corner Farm will soon be installing is about six years.

This is pretty impressive, considering the total cost of the project is $75,000.

That’s not the amount Borghard will be paying, though. “The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority is providing $4 a watt, and this is a 10 kilowatt system,” he explained. “So, NYSERDA is providing $40,000.”

In addition to this award, which NYSERDA gives to qualifying renewable energy projects, 3-Corner Farm also got a $17,500 grant from then United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program.

“The NYSERDA option has been there a while, but the thing that’s new is the USDA grant for small businesses,” Borghard said. “That put us over the top and made this possible.”

Borghard himself is responsible for the remaining $17,500 of the project, which he’s getting through a guaranteed loan with First Pioneer Farm Credit.

While taking out this kind of a loan might make some people balk, the owners of 3-Corner Farm know it’s money well-spent.

The farm’s existing solar systems have been worth every penny Borghard has paid since their installation two years ago. “I’ve been so happy with the results,” he said. “I just got the bill for the last 60 days, and they generated 83 percent of the energy we’ve used.

“And for the year, they generated 65 percent,” Borghard added. “That’s huge. Two-thirds of our power is coming from the sun — and it’s free.”

Having free power, after the investment is paid off, is important because it gives the family at 3-Corner Farm more security. “If you believe, as I believe, that energy costs will continue to go up, then it’s a big benefit,” Borghard said. “I’m not constantly trying to ratchet up revenue to meet rising costs, and it fixes my expenses.

“I’m not at the mercy of variable costs.”

And this, Gillibrand believes, is good not only for the continued success of 3-Corner Farm, but for the success of all businesses that depend on it.

“Projects of this kind promote economic growth,” Gillibrand said. “A lot of other businesses depend on our farms, whether it’s the John Deere dealer or someone else.

“We want our farms to stay in business.”

So does Borghard, and if his farm can do that while simultaneously being greener, so much the better.

“It’s not only the economics, the other side of it is this technology is earth-friendly,” he said. “There’s no by-product from solar energy.”

“I don’t see a downside,” Borghard continued. “Just look around. Some farms continue to go out of business because their business models are not sustainable.”

The sheep raised for their milk and meat at 3-Corner Farm are also fed on organically managed pastures and raised hormone-free. Because of the multi-benefit nature of renewable energy systems like his, Borghard hopes more farms and small businesses will consider them. A few operations already are.

Others

A gravel business in Columbia County, for example, recently received a federal grant to begin its own renewable energy project. “They’re going to start building a biodiesel refinery,” Gillibrand said.

“They’ll use it to power their fleet of diesel trucks.” Another business, a farm in Fort Ann, was awarded a federal grant in September 2007 to the tune of $310,148.

This money will be used to purchase an anaerobic digester system. According to an announcement issued by Gillibrand in September, the system will produce renewable energy from manure. In doing so, it will replace 1 million kilowatts of power and over 5,500 pounds of propane used on the farm.

“Using alternative energy technology is allowing these businesses to lower their costs and continue to prosper locally,” Gillibrand said. “What we want is for this to be replicated all across the district.” And it could be, as long as grants and incentives remain available. And as long as renewable energy systems go the same way computers and cell phones have gone — the cheaper way.

“This is a fledgling industry, so everything is super expensive and complicated now,” Borghard said. “But the hope and expectation is, as these things become more available, the prices will be driven down.”

“Where we are today, we’re the pioneers, but in another five or ten years, we would expect prices to be dramatically lower,” he continued. “Then it would be more in line with something like putting a new heating system in.”

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