Farmers discuss use of solar for irrigation pumps

Fresno County grower Russel Efird is no stranger to dealing with the complexities of pumps that deliver water vital to his crops, having worked closely with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. since the 1970s.

He has gone through a lot of changes over the years—from electricity to diesel and back to electricity—all aimed at earning the best bang for the buck out of how he powers those pumps.

And now he has moved on to solar power, to the tune of $1.2 million he has spent to generate about 0.62 megawatts of power for 16 meters that include five solar-generating sites where power has been aggregated as he grows almonds, walnuts and raisin grapes in Caruthers, Riverdale and Raisin City.

Efird said he believes the money and considerable time he has spent on bringing solar into the picture will be well worth it, once tax credits and depreciation are taken into account.

He was among nearly 100 producers who gathered in Fresno for an agricultural solar and irrigation efficiency workshop presented by PG&E and the Fresno County Farm Bureau.

Vendors included eight solar companies, a couple of companies selling LED lighting and representatives of related industries.

Participants learned about the solar application process, methods to monitor water and fertilizer applications, irrigation controls and technology, and the advisability of tracking pump efficiency.

Presentations included an outline of how to get information and how to apply for a new phase of net energy metering—NEM 2.0—that is now in effect. It was put in place last December after the utility reached a cap for the first phase.

Websites that may be helpful in navigating through information released by PG&E on the program and on incentives or rebates for pump repairs and the like include www.pge.com/standardnem and www.pumpefficiency.org.

Efird said it's important for those contemplating moving to solar power to do their homework.

"You have to commit yourself to getting into the weeds and finding the answers," he said, adding that he probably spent close to 70 hours talking with PG&E representatives in San Jose after receiving the solar bills, to be able to understand its commercial billing statements.

Working closely with your solar company is also a must in developing the correct-sized solar system for your farm, Efird said.

"There's a learning curve before and after adding solar," he said, adding that his first stack of bills from PG&E was six inches high.

Efird said it's important to scale any solar project to the needs of the farm and not go beyond that, because if you generate more than needed, the excess will not be purchased by PG&E.

Sizing could be complicated by possible changes as NEM 2.0 gets off the ground.

"New time-of-use rates are coming," said Nic Stover, founder and chief executive officer of Polaris Energy Services. He cited a 91-page document from the California Public Utilities Commission that details changes that could be put in place.

Those changes, if adopted, could complicate the proper sizing of a system, simply because growers don't get paid for generating electricity when the sun doesn't shine.

For example, to the degree possible, Efird said he does not run his pumps during peak periods, now defined as between noon and 6 p.m. from May 1 to Oct. 31, Monday through Friday. He shifts usage out of the hot time of the day, on peak, when it would cost him 35-40 percent more, and runs pumps in the off-peak periods. By shifting his usage, he is paid for generating power in peak periods at the PG&E kilowatt-hour charge.

Stover said his company seeks to work closely with farmers to find ways to offset rising costs and any changes in time-of-use rates.

"You should talk with your representative about when you can shut down and about other changes you can make involving time of use and other things," he said.

Stover said the proposed changes make it more important than ever to have systems in place for automating delivery of water, monitoring it and controlling the systems.

Those subjects and others were presented by speakers who included Chris Terrell with Wexus Technologies, Guillermo Valenzuela with WiseConn and Oliver Jerphagnon with PowWow Energy.

Another key factor in the decision on whether to go solar with irrigation pumps is the availability of surface water. That has been in play this wet year, said Jim Brisky, service planning and design manager for the PG&E Central Region from Fresno to Bakersfield.

Brisky said this year's storms, rains and snows also meant some delays in installing solar projects.

"You don't want us to rush," said Dan Vang, senior service representative with PG&E in Fresno. "We ask you for your patience. There are tedious steps that are called for in the inspection process."

But those and other "tedious steps" should pay off, Efird said. He points to a 30 percent tax credit that will be taken off his bottom line, the prospect of lower costs for pump operations and offsetting credits, as well as depreciation credits he can take.

"If I can save around a hundred thousand dollars a year, that's a chunk of change," Efird said.

(Dennis Pollock is a reporter in Fresno. He may be contacted at agcompollock@yahoo.com.)