Solar energy provider reaches out to Polk County poultry industry

By Patrick Massey

A solar installation company recently reached out to poultry growers in Mena in an effort to bring solar power options to the poultry industry.

Solar Integrated Roofing Corp., a solar power and roofing systems installation company, met with a group of Polk County producers to explain how solar power could benefit them and other contract poultry growers throughout the nation.

“In our beta program to test [the poultry grower] market, we sent a team to Mena, Arkansas, a rural town heavily populated with poultry farms,” said Pablo Diaz, CEO of USA Solar Networks and President of Solar Integrated Roofing Corp. “In our initial visit, we met with six business owners to explain how a solar system could save cost for their business. We signed development agreements with four of them, with contracts totaling over $2.5 million dollars.”

USA Solar Networks, a subsidiary of Solar Integrated Roofing Corp., launched the new sales program to explain how U.S. poultry growers can transition to solar and alternative energy solutions for their energy-intensive operations. 

The poultry farm industry in the United States includes over 233,000 poultry farms that generate revenue of over $40 billion dollars annually. Electricity is often the second largest expense for farms that require extensive lighting, ventilation, heating, cooling and feed lines.

Company officials say the new program allows farmers to take advantage of alternative energy benefits to power their operations, including federal tax subsidies available to businesses, reduced or eliminated high utility costs, and the potential to increase cashflow over a 25-year period. 

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) can help farmers reduce energy costs. Under this program farmers are eligible to receive a grant for up to 25 percent of the solar project cost.

“The poultry industry has long been neglected by the solar industry despite being large consumers of electric power,” said Diaz. “Their high electric costs make these farmers ideal candidates for the solar energy solutions we provide.”

Company officials said the coming months will see another USA Solar Networks team returning to Arkansas and neighboring states to offer its solar power options. For more information, visit their website at solarintegratedroofing.com.

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