Solar For Agriculture
Cut rising energy costs, and protect your farm for future generations.
Lock in predictable energy costs and future-proof your Ontario farm with on-site solar, backed by federal and provincial incentives.
Solar For Agriculture
Solar Energy for Canadian Farmers
Why Solar Makes Sense for Farms in Canada
Farms are one of Canada’s most energy-intensive industries. With electricity prices climbing and farming costs rising each season, solar energy offers a way to stabilize expenses and strengthen profitability over the long term. Solar power lets you generate clean energy on-site — reducing grid dependence and protecting your margins for future generations.
Choosing the best means proven quality you can trust and reliability you can count on for decades to come.
Agriculture Solar Installation
Lepp Farms
Explore the transition to sustainable energy at Lepp Farms in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where rising utility costs—reaching nearly $1,000 per day—prompted the owner, George Lepp, to seek a long-term solution.
Lepp Farms collaborated with Otter Energy to install a custom, turnkey rooftop solar system.
- Energy Impact: The system generates approximately 80% of the farm’s annual electricity requirements.
- Financial Benefits: The project is projected to deliver a $4 million impact over its 25-year lifespan, with a 4-year payback period.
George Lepp highlights the installation as a secure, strategic investment in the business’s future, helping to stabilize energy costs and support profitability for the next generation
Why it matters
The Top 4 Benefits of Solar for Canadian Farms
1
Lock In Energy Costs & Protect Your Bottom Line
Electricity rates are unpredictable – solar isn’t. By generating your own power, you lock in a stable energy cost for 25-30 years, reducing exposure to rising utility rates and helping protect farm margins season after season.
2
Strengthen Farm Profitability with Long-Term Savings
Solar directly reduces operating costs by offsetting high daytime energy use from irrigation, ventilation, grain drying, refrigeration, and livestock systems. Once installed, your system continues delivering savings year after year.
3
Maximize Incentives & Capital Efficiency
Canadian farmers have access to federal and provincial incentives, tax credits, and accelerated depreciation that can significantly reduce upfront costs and shorten payback periods. Solar becomes a capital investment that strengthens your farming business.
4
Future-Proof the Farm for the Next Generation
As farming becomes more digital and energy-dependent, solar helps ensure your operation remains competitive. It lowers long-term overhead, increases energy independence, and strengthens the farm’s resilience for future generations.
The Agricultural Solar Solution
Why It Matters
For Canadian farms, solar isn’t just about energy — it’s about control, certainty, and continuity.
By locking in predictable energy costs, reducing operating expenses, and leveraging available incentives, solar improves cash flow and strengthens long-term financial planning. It lowers risk from rising utility rates, supports more accurate forecasting, and helps capital work harder for the business.
Most importantly, solar future-proofs the farm. As agriculture becomes more digital and energy-dependent, investing in on-site power generation helps ensure the operation remains competitive, resilient, and financially secure — not just today, but for the next generation.
Let Otter Energy help you protect your bottom line and your farms legacy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Agriculture Solar FAQs
It depends on your property. Ground-mount systems are popular for farms with available acreage. They're easy to maintain, can be oriented optimally, and don't require structural roof assessments. Barn and building roof mounts work well for operations with large south-facing roof areas. For greenhouse operations, rooftop solar displaces a significant portion of your heating and lighting load. Many operations combine multiple system types. We assess your property and recommend the best option during the free site assessment.
Agricultural systems typically range from $50K-$200K depending on your energy needs and system size. After the federal tax benefits (30% ITC for incorporated farms, or 55% CCA write-off for all farms) and net metering credits, most farms see payback in 4-7 years. We provide exact projections during the free assessment.
No. Ground-mount arrays are placed on unused land or field edges. Roof systems don't affect barn or greenhouse operations. Installation typically takes 1-2 weeks with minimal disruption, and we schedule around planting and harvest seasons. Once installed, the system runs silently with no maintenance beyond an annual check.
Your system sends excess electricity to the grid during sunny months (typically April-September). You receive credits on your hydro bill that roll forward for 12 months. In winter, when production is lower, you draw from the grid using those banked credits. Most solar-equipped farms see their annual hydro bill drop 40-80%.
The 30% Clean Technology ITC requires a taxable Canadian corporation. If your farm is incorporated, Otter guarantees full 30% qualification through our CRA attestation process (15+ audits, zero issues). If your farm is a sole proprietorship or partnership, you still qualify for accelerated CCA depreciation under Class 43.1, with a 55% write-off in year one (2026 rate). Either way, solar is a strong financial investment. We recommend discussing both options with your accountant.
Modern panels carry 25-30 year performance warranties and typically produce power well beyond that. The inverters (which convert DC to AC power) usually last 15-20 years and may need replacement once during the system's life. Otter has been in business since 2009 and monitors every system we install. We handle warranty claims if any component underperforms.
When properly engineered and installed, commercial solar systems do not void building warranties. Otter Energy works with building owners, insurers, and engineers to ensure full compliance and risk mitigation.
Yes. Ontario's solar resource is comparable to Germany, which leads the world in solar deployment. Panels actually perform slightly better in cold weather. Snow slides off angled panels naturally, and ground-mount systems can be tilted for optimal snow shedding. Annual production accounts for seasonal variation. Summer surplus covers winter dips through net metering.
Yes. Battery storage allows businesses to store excess solar energy, reduce peak demand charges, and maintain power during outages. Solar-plus-storage is increasingly popular for facilities with high energy reliability needs.