Irrigation Improvements Have Farmers Considering Private Electrical Generation

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO – Agricultural irrigation accounts for a significant share of the industrial electrical load served by U.S. utilities, especially in rural and semi-rural areas of Western and Central states. According to a report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division, farmers and ranchers spent nearly $1.9 billion in 2018 powering electric pumps to provide approximately 30.8 million acre-feet of groundwater to their crops and livestock. That’s an increase of almost 9 percent from 2013. Based on the latest Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, farmers reported applying less groundwater to more acres in 2018 than in 2013. More specifically, over the last five years, water use efficiency for corn grain, corn silage, cotton, alfalfa, and hay has either improved or been stable. The increased efficiency has come from several factors including innovation in irrigation equipment (e.g., drip irrigation), development of novel crop varieties and crop rotation strategies, improved soil management practices, and a better understanding of irrigation techniques. CoBank also projects that many agricultural irrigators may have their private supply of power (solar) by the end of the decade. “We project some agricultural producers may begin to make the switch in the 2026-28 timeframe depending on their solar resource” the report outlines. “Obviously, agricultural producers in the Western U.S. are likely to consider acquiring such a system sooner than others due to their longer growing seasons and lesser precipitation levels.”