From irrigation pumps to cold storage, turn California sunshine into power for your operation, and a plan for managing long-term energy costs.
Built around the way you operate.
Illustrative agricultural setting
Licensed C-10 contractor
CSLB #1014016
Serving California since 2015
Solar + electrical expertise
One coordinated project
Design, permits & utility coordination
Power for the whole operation
A family farm and a large agricultural business need the same starting point: a system that fits their actual energy use, working space and plans for growth.
01 / Water
Well pumps, booster pumps, filtration and controls. Start with pumping hours, seasonal demand and the power behind every irrigation cycle.
02 / Harvest
Pre-cooling, refrigeration, conveyors and packing lines. Evaluate recurring daytime loads and what must keep running after sunset.
03 / Livestock
Milk cooling, ventilation, lighting and wash systems. Account for daily operating cycles and essential animal-care equipment.
04 / Growing
Fans, circulation pumps, irrigation and lighting. Match the design to seasonal growing conditions and electrical loads.
05 / Production
Compressors, electric processing equipment and farm buildings. Review heavy loads and simultaneous equipment operation.
06 / What’s next
Electric pumps, vehicles, charging and new facilities. Plan service capacity and expansion before adding more equipment.
Start where the power goes
A large irrigation pump can be a major electrical load. Its operating schedule matters just as much as its horsepower.
We review how much power your equipment uses, when it runs and how your utility bills it. Daytime pumping may align well with solar; overnight irrigation needs a different strategy.
With your pump or irrigation specialist, an efficiency review can identify motor, control or variable-speed opportunities before the solar system is sized.
A better starting point
01Energy & demand
At least 12 months of bills, interval data when available, and seasonal operating hours.
02Equipment & service
Motor ratings, actual load, phase, voltage, starting requirements and electrical capacity.
03Water & operations
Irrigation windows, crop needs, water availability and any planned expansion.
04The utility connection
Rate schedule, meter arrangement, export rules and potential service upgrades.
Crop and water-management needs come first. Solar planning should support the irrigation plan.
Make the business case
The right project considers savings, installation costs, ongoing maintenance and the way the farm will operate for years to come.
01
Design around electricity used on site. Under net billing, exported electricity often has a different, and lower, value than power purchased from the utility.
Review energy charges, demand charges and fixed fees separately. Solar does not automatically eliminate the entire bill.
02
Evaluate equipment sheds, suitable roofs, canopies and appropriate non-crop areas. Check roof condition, access, dust, shading and electrical distances.
Ownership, leases, land-use approvals and future farm layouts all belong in the site plan.
03
Evaluate batteries for evening use, selected demand peaks or essential backup loads. Large motors require a design that supports starting power and run time.
Where feasible, irrigation scheduling or water storage may offer another way to shift pumping demand.
Backup power is a separate design decision. Standard grid-connected solar normally shuts down during an outage. Keeping pumps or refrigeration running requires properly configured backup equipment and a load-specific plan.
Funding worth reviewing
There are still potential tax and agricultural funding paths. Eligibility, timing and project design determine which ones fit.
Reviewed October 13, 2026
Federal / business solar
Tax credit
Qualifying business solar may receive a 30% Section 48E credit when prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, or an exception such as a facility under 1 MW AC, are met. The base rate is 6%.
Solar projects beginning construction after July 4, 2026 must be placed in service by December 31, 2027 to qualify. Other requirements still apply, including prohibited-foreign-entity and equipment-sourcing rules.
Ask your CPA to confirm eligible costs, credit use, possible bonuses, depreciation and interactions with grants. A contract alone does not secure a credit.
USDA / REAP
Rules changing
A final rule effective October 16, 2026 shifts REAP to completed, operating projects. Renewable-energy grants are capped at 25% of eligible project cost, up to $500,000.
The new framework requires 12 months of post-installation performance and pre-installation energy data. Rural location, applicant, project-age and sourcing rules apply. Ground-mounted solar on cropland is ineligible for this grant; that is not a general installation ban.
USDA will announce application windows. Awards are competitive: evaluate affordability without assuming a grant.
California / CDFA SWEEP
Irrigation funding
SWEEP supports eligible irrigation improvements that conserve water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pump upgrades, controls and qualifying renewable-energy conversions may form part of a project.
Under the new block-grant model, farmers apply through regional partners. CDFA expects partner agreements in January 2027; producer application dates are still to be determined. The direct incentive-grant program is not accepting applications.
Standalone solar does not automatically qualify. Confirm the combined water and energy benefits, local intake and project rules before starting work.
USDA / NRCS EQIP
Energy efficiency
The On-Farm Energy Initiative can assist eligible producers with an energy audit and qualifying improvements such as irrigation pumps, motor controls, ventilation and refrigeration.
This is an efficiency and conservation funding path, not an automatic solar-panel grant. Contact your local NRCS office for eligibility, ranking dates, approved practices and a contract before implementation.
Program information is a starting point, not an award or tax determination. CSS can scope the solar and electrical work; your CPA and the administering agency confirm benefits, sequencing and eligibility. Model the project with and without incentives.
A story you can substantiate
Measured solar production can help you communicate specific energy improvements to buyers, business partners and your community.
Track what the system produces, document the share of electricity supplied by solar and use that information when responding to customer or supply-chain questions.
Specific. Measurable. Credible.
01
Measure productionReport monitored output over a defined period.
02
Document renewable useVerify renewable energy certificate ownership before making usage claims.
03
Keep claims preciseSolar alone does not certify a farm as organic, carbon neutral or “100% green.”
From utility bill to power plan
CSS brings solar and C-10 electrical experience to one coordinated scope, with your farm team involved in the decisions that affect daily work.
01 / Understand
Utility bills, equipment, meters, seasonal schedules and your next phase of growth.
02 / Evaluate
Compare solar, storage and electrical needs with realistic costs and separate incentive scenarios.
03 / Coordinate
Plan the layout, service capacity, permits and utility interconnection around the site.
04 / Deliver
Coordinate installation around operations, verify system performance and establish monitoring.
Farm-owner questions
No two farms use electricity the same way. Start with the details that drive your project.
Yes, if the electricity use, site and project economics support it. A smaller operation with recurring pump or refrigeration loads may be worth evaluating. Owning agricultural land alone does not establish grant eligibility; agencies also review the applicant and the agricultural business.
Not automatically. Each meter, utility tariff and interconnection arrangement must be reviewed. Aggregation eligibility and billing treatment vary. PG&E and local irrigation-district utilities can have different rules, so the plan should use your actual accounts.
We compare the operating calendar with expected solar output and utility rates. Storage, allowable schedule changes or a different system size may be appropriate. We also evaluate off-season exports instead of assuming every solar kilowatt-hour offsets a full-price purchase.
Only with an engineered backup arrangement that can support that pump. A standard solar installation is not outage protection. Motor starting demand, operating load, required hours and other essential equipment determine battery, inverter and any generator coordination needs.
That depends on existing capacity, equipment condition, the solar connection and future loads. We assess panels, switchgear and service requirements and coordinate utility-side needs. Solar generation by itself does not increase the electrical service rating.
The answer requires your bills, site and a defined design. A useful projection includes production, self-use, export value, remaining utility charges, financing, maintenance and equipment replacement allowances. We keep incentives separate so you can see how much the project depends on them.
Tell us what you grow, what you operate and where you want to take the business. We’ll start with the solar and electrical opportunities that fit your property.
