Among the fruit trees and berry bushes at Afton Apple Orchard, two solar arrays have sprouted. One rooftop array installed on a workshop in 2018 is now complemented by a larger 79-kW array atop a barn recently added to the property. All Energy Solar, a full-service solar energy solution provider, designed and installed the systems to provide clean energy on-site at the family owned and operated orchard located in Hastings, Minnesota.
Nestled in the Saint Croix River Valley on about 250 acres, Afton Apple produces Minnesota-grown crops beyond apples, including raspberries, pumpkins and more. The grounds are a seasonal destination for family-friendly activities like pick-your-own produce, a corn maze, a playground and a petting farm. The retail store sells cider, pies, jams and other items, in addition to pre-picked fruits and vegetables.
“The Femling Family and staff at Afton Apple Orchard have always embraced sustainability, the concept of giving back, and doing good by the community. Supporting their property with solar not only helps Afton Apple significantly reduce their energy consumption from the grid, but also showcases their environmental commitment to thousands of visitors each year, ” said Michael Thalhimer, director of business development at All Energy Solar. “This project was important to the Femlings; we’re thrilled to support the business and its mission to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel energy.”
The array will power most of the electricity needs supporting the orchard’s retail store, machinery, lighting, refrigeration and outbuildings.
“Interest in our solar project was originally driven by my husband, Frank, who always believed in renewables and looked for ways to make our operation more efficient, to save on costs,” said Cindy Femling, owner of Afton Apple. “Frank’s legacy was to set up the orchard for success for our kids, and completing this solar project has been a big part of that effort.”
The solar installation supports Afton Apple’s commitment to minimizing the orchard’s environmental footprint while growing high-quality produce to keep the farm economically viable.
News item from All Energy Solar
Solar panels can play such an important role for agriculture. We work on the west coast and see more and more demand for agrivoltaics each year. So many agricultural operations can benefit from solar energy and offset the huge cost of energy to power their operations. We’re looking forward to so much more solar in fields, orchards, and pastures in the years to come.