Almond huller’s solar panels make efficient use of land

A triangle of land is doing double duty at Cortez Hulling, which takes the hulls off almonds at a plant near Ballico.

At ground level is a basin that captures heavy storm runoff directed away from the stockpiles of hulls, which are used mainly for dairy feed. On top are solar panels that provide 74 percent of the plant’s electricity.

JKB Energy of Turlock installed the system that way to minimize the footprint on this high-value ground.

“It uses the land in the most efficient way,” Chad Cummings, director of sales and marketing at JKB, said Wednesday. “I think that fits with the values of the ag industry and the values of solar.”

The plant, at Santa Fe and Cortez avenues, is a longtime part of the California almond industry. Booming sales have led to large gains in land values.

The solar system has cut conventional power costs by about $110,000 a year.

“It keeps our Turlock Irrigation District bill low, and doesn’t get in the way of operations,” said David Thiel, general manager of the Cortez Growers Association, which owns the plant.

Cummings said the installation cost was slightly higher than normal because of the need to put the panels on concrete supports above the basin, but it still penciled out.

JKB is one of several solar companies working with farmers and food processors. They have conserved land also by putting panels on rooftops or using them to shade parking lots.

Elsewhere on the Farm Beat:

Young women with dairy industry ties can compete for the title of Dairy Princess for 11 counties in the central state. The California Milk Advisory Board is accepting applications until May 12 and will crown this year’s winner on June 15.

Entrants must by 17 to 21 and unmarried. More details are at www.californiadairypressroom.com .

The winner will represent the industry at schools, fairs, meetings and other venues in an area that includes Stanislaus, Merced, Mariposa, Tuolumne, San Benito, Alameda, Monterey, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Almond huller’s solar panels make efficient use of land."