Solar Energy on the Dairy Farm

Dairymen now have an alternative source of energy to assist them in efficient production of milk. Solar energy is being used to heat water and to space-heat milk houses and milking parlors. Used in conjunction with standard heating systems, solar systems can supply from 30 to 70% of the water- and space-heating requirements on a dairy farm. Tax incentives and rising costs of electricity and fossil fuels are making solar energy systems economically feasible for the modern dairyman. During the 1970s the world has come to recognize the reserves of fossil fuels used for energy are limited. The "energy crisis" caused these sources of energy to spiral in cost. Today, alternate sources of energy are being investigated and some are proving to be economically feasible.