As consumers are increasingly demanding farm efficiency and sustainability and solar panels are increasingly being installed as a way to fight price hikes from traditional energy suppliers, solar is emerging as a promising way to give farmers the best of both worlds.
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"Embracing renewable energy and storage solutions is one thing farmers can do to lower power bills and increase their resilience in the face of an unpredictable climate," Farmers for Climate Action CEO Natalie Collard said.
A recent survey by Farmers for Climate action shows farmers are increasingly supportive of Australia's shift to more renewable energy, though concerns remain about towering power lines that cut across farms to connect wind and solar projects to the grid.
"Farmers are excited about the opportunities switching to renewables and electrifying farm operations can bring - but they want to know more about it and they want support to get on with it," Ms Collard said.
![Arial overview of a partial-grid, solar-powered, 713-hectare farm ready to support 268 hectares of cotton and 86 hectares of sorghum. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties Arial overview of a partial-grid, solar-powered, 713-hectare farm ready to support 268 hectares of cotton and 86 hectares of sorghum. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/200003594/5ae3d7b4-a325-4d09-8caf-1d5057fc44a7.jpg/r0_0_5272_2962_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
To get a glimpse of the opportunity available, the Leader looked into a property 15 kilometres outside Gunnedah for a window into how this trend is playing out in the heart of Australia's prime farming land.
The recently-combined 'Kensal Green' at 282 Masmans Road and 'Bruan Park' at 255 Battery Hill Road in the Breeza Plain region will soon be hitting the auction block.
On top of the high-value, high-yield farmland, the property's solar-powered infrastructure also turns green energy into even greener pastures, reflecting the region's foray into renewable energy.
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![Arial view of the property's 430-metre lateral move irrigator. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties Arial view of the property's 430-metre lateral move irrigator. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/200003594/800004d4-b326-461a-b066-68fc00261a1c.jpg/r0_0_2048_1151_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Two recently-installed 75-kilowatt solar-powered irrigation bores, a pivoting lateral move irrigator built by Valley Irrigation, and a 550 megalitre water storage and re-circulation system set the stage for cutting-edge agricultural performance.
While the property is not entirely off-grid, it does exemplify how farmers can take advantage of the push for renewable energy rolling out across NSW by using solar energy to slash the cost of pumping.
"The property's cost to pump irrigation water is about half of what is typically spent on diesel power or fully on-grid supply," property agent Rob Southwell said.
![Water supply channel being filled via solar-power-pumped irrigation. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties Water supply channel being filled via solar-power-pumped irrigation. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/200003594/722ffd4e-54be-4049-9de7-fa2992733011_rotated_270.jpg/r0_0_3024_4032_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The realtor said he predicted more properties would install similar partial-grid or off-grid energy systems as the New England region continued on the path to becoming a renewable energy zone.
Further enhancing its sustainability, the property's homestead and farm headquarters are powered by an 18-kilowatt solar array and energy storage system, reducing the total cost of operating the farm even further.
![Delivery outlet for a solar bore producing about eight megalitres per day. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties Delivery outlet for a solar bore producing about eight megalitres per day. Picture supplied by Southwell Properties](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/200003594/43a02080-af9e-47c9-ae0c-22db7b677ebb.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Not only does it have great water resources, it has a lovely home that is fully self-sufficient and ready to be lived in very comfortably," Mr Southwell said, calling attention to the 713-hectare property's four bedroom, two bathroom brick veneer homestead.
Mr Southwell said the agricultural property represents "the pinnacle of broadscale irrigation farming" and that the "farm of the future" will be auctioned on Tuesday, October 10 at 10am.
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