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2/16/2021 The power of the sun captured passively in solar arrays boosts energy independence and economic returns on the farm. While solar has been cost-prohibitive to farmers in the past, the rising cost of electricity and the dropping cost of solar installation has created a compelling crossroads. Now, the investment and payback make financial sense. Jeremy Lipinski, managing partner of Emergent Solar Energy in West Lafayette, Indiana, says the solar projects his company has designed and built within the past year have had five-year paybacks. That short timeline is achieved with the proper utilization of tax credits and grants. “A payback under seven years becomes very compelling because the components we install generally have a 25-year production warranty from the manufacturer and a 30-year economic life,” Lipinski explains.