Colorado Sun Harvest
Colorado Sun Harvest
Wells, pivots, stock tanks, the shop, the barn, and three meters on two co-ops make rural solar a different project from a suburban roof. Size yours around the loads that actually run, see what land it takes, and find out which financing path your operation qualifies for before an installer shows up.
| 50 HP irrigation well, one season | ≈ 50,000 kWh |
| Milk cooling and cold storage | ≈ 40,000 kWh |
| House and domestic well | ≈ 13,500 kWh |
| Shop with welder and compressor | ≈ 6,000 kWh |
| Two stock-tank heaters, one winter | ≈ 3,000 kWh |
Check what runs on your property, tell us about meters and your bill, and get a first-pass system size, land footprint, and financing pathway. It's a planning estimate so your installer conversation starts with real numbers, not a sales script.
Assumes about 1,500 kWh per kW-DC per year for a well-sited Colorado ground mount and roughly a quarter acre per 40 kW. Typical equipment figures; your meters tell the real story.
A suburban installer's checklist stops at the roof. These are the items that decide cost and timeline on acreage, and an installer who does rural work will raise them before you do.
The best ground for an array is rarely next to the meter. Every hundred feet of trench and conductor is real money, and voltage drop over long runs changes the wire size. Ask for the trench length as its own line item.
A 60 kW array on a service fed by a 25 kVA transformer means a utility upgrade, which the co-op may bill to you. Getting the transformer size early avoids a redesign after the quote.
Each cooperative has its own net-metering cap, aggregation rule, application, and study fee. Your installer should name the policy, not promise "net metering" in general.
Ag roofs are often light steel with no engineering record. Ground mounts cost more per watt but sit at the right tilt, wash down easily, and don't care about the barn's condition.
Field dust and pivot overspray cut production until it rains or you rinse. Eastern Plains wind drives racking choices. Shelterbelts shade more than they look like they do in winter.
Irrigation runs June through September; stock tanks run December through February. Annual net metering averages this out, monthly netting does not, so the co-op's rule changes what size pays.
The Rural Energy for America Program covers agricultural producers and rural small businesses. Grant windows open and close and funding changes; guaranteed loans have continued. We say "check the current status," not "apply now," and so should your installer.
Systems owned by a business, including a farm or ranch operation, may qualify for the federal investment credit plus accelerated depreciation. Deadlines and construction-start rules matter, so get a tax professional who works with ag involved early.
Ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. For the house portion of a property, a leased or third-party-owned system may still carry a credit claimed by the installer.
Qualifying solar equipment is exempt from state sales tax; some local taxes still apply. Co-op rebates and net-metering credit rates vary by utility and change, so they go into the quote by name.
This section is dated and we keep it that way. Spot something stale, email hello@coloradosunharvest.com.
Sometimes. Some Colorado co-ops allow meter aggregation, where one array's credits apply across meters on the same property. Others require an array per meter or don't offer aggregation at all. The planner flags this; your installer confirms the rule with your co-op before drawing anything.
We don't assume so. Grant windows open and close and the funding level changes year to year, while guaranteed loans have stayed available. Ask your installer for the current notice from USDA Rural Development.
Roughly a quarter acre for a 40 kW array, or 5 to 6 acres per megawatt, depending on row spacing, tilt, and access lanes. Most residential-scale systems fit in a corner of a yard or a pasture edge.
Often. Sheep graze under arrays routinely; cattle need taller racking and sturdier fencing. Cropping between rows is possible with wider spacing and a design that plans for equipment turns.
One licensed Colorado installer from our network who does ground mounts and ag loads, by the method you choose. Partner installers pay us a referral fee when they service a request. You never pay us and it doesn't change your quote.
An installer who does ground mounts, ag loads, and co-op paperwork reviews your plan and your meters, then gives you a real design and price. No obligation.