Taking Self-Contained Solar Electricity To Farms

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We hear plenty about the growing popularity of commercial and residential solar energy, but we hear too little about its role in farms.

Dolf Ivener, founder of Sioux City, Iowa-based Hog Power Energy, is now plenty busy marketing his company’s Self-Contained Solar Generator (SCSG) to hog farmers.

Hog Power Dolf+solar+panels
Dolf Ivener, CEO Hog Power Energy

Ivener, a fifth-generation Iowa resident and farmer. says he can now be found “selling sunshine,” much of it to hog farmers looking for energy independence and protection from rising energy costs.

“Solar just sits there and creates electricity,” states Ivener on his website. “And that’s what makes it so scary to the oil industry.”

According to Ivener, the industry is sizable: 70,000 hog confinements exist nationwide, each one consuming 24,000 kw of electricity annually at a $184,000,000 price tag, averaging more than $2,600 annually. Add to this calculation, the cost of a generator averages $10,000, a machine which needs to be replaced within 10-15 years, plus maintenance.

The hog industry has spent over $1,200,000,000 for new and replacement generators, which provide no energy savings. This is where Ivener has created a viable niche in the agricultural marketplace selling photovoltaic electricity.

The Hog Power Self-Contained Solar Generator

Hog Power’s Self-Contained Solar Generator (SCSG) uses the sun’s energy to power a client’s cooling system, while charging the battery, providing 30 hours of backup energy. The SCSG is made up of five components:

  1. Hog Power shipping container (20 feet) – houses the entire system.
  2. 24 kW battery – provides 30 hours of back-up power.
  3. Battery Management System – facilitates communication between the battery and inverter.
  4. 8 kW inverter – directs the collected energy.
  5. 10 kW solar system – provides power to cool the hog confinement and charge the battery.

hog-power-self-containedsolargenerator

On his website, Ivener puts the economic issues into perspective:

“If Hog Power Self-Contained Solar Generators are purchased instead of basic generators, $100 – $120 of electricity would be offset per month (amounting to $7M – $8.4M industry-wide).” Not bad when it comes to the issues of energy independence and cost-effective tools.

Hog Power Energy also addresses the issue of grid-delivered electricity: “For too long, farms have been held hostage by electric companies. With no other option, you’ve been forced to accept their rates and perpetual increases.”

The Self-Contained Solar Generator: a new energy choice that offers energy independence AND saves you money.

With the Hog Power package, customers can expect to receive:

  • Self-Contained Solar Generator
  • 24/7 Monitoring
  • Warranty
  • Loss coverage
  • Energy savings
  • Back-up power
  • Delivery/Installation

As Ivener’s website concludes, this investment in sunshine offers a lot:

“Hog Power Energy are providing YOU protection from rising energy costs. Finally, a choice that offers energy independence AND saves you money.”

And best of all, the electricity for this generator is clean and renewable.

Images via Hog Power Energy


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Glenn Meyers

is a writer, producer, and director. Meyers was editor and site director of Green Building Elements, a contributing writer for CleanTechnica, and is founder of Green Streets MediaTrain, a communications connection and eLearning hub. As an independent producer, he's been involved in the development, production and distribution of television and distance learning programs for both the education industry and corporate sector. He also is an avid gardener and loves sustainable innovation.

Glenn Meyers has 449 posts and counting. See all posts by Glenn Meyers