Fesko Dairy Farm

Project Brief:

Fesko Dairy, located in Skaneateles, New York is a 600-cow dairy farm with 2,000 acres of cropland that has been in Kim Brayman’s family for three generations.

Agricultural business owners like the Braymans have to manage in good times and lean times, as variables out of their control like the weather or the spot price for milk can make a big impact on their bottom line. In particular, a dairy operation is quite energy intensive, meaning a large portion of Fesko’s expenses were tied to the inflation and volatility of the utility’s cost for energy. This makes solar a great solution for their needs as it provides a lower, and predictable price for energy that gives the Brayman family peace of mind and an ability to better plan their operating costs.

We’re proud to be meeting nearly 80% of Fesko’s energy needs with solar,” says RER President Jim Kurtz. “This output, together with the incentives we were able to put in place, is helping the farm operation to capitalize on some really attractive energy rates so they can be more competitive.”

Like many other farmers, the Braymans also see themselves as stewards of the land. “It was really important for us to make the transition to renewable energy,” says Fesko’s owner, Kim Brayman. “The savings speak for themselves, and this is much more in line with the way we try to run our operation.”

The farm’s electrical demands originate from the main farm buildings, which include the milking parlor, calving barn, primary farmhouse, tenant house, and farm shop; together, these total a current annual usage of approximately 374,460 kWh.

RER Energy Group applied for and won a competitive New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) grant to assist with project funding. After receiving the grant, RER began the installation phase of the farm’s 303 kW, ground mounted photovoltaic system.

 

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS:

  • System Size: 303.05 kW
  • Hanwha 290 Watt Modules
  • Advanced Energy Inverter
  • Schletter Ground Mount Racking