Windmist Farm: Powered by the Sun

Windmist Farm in Jamestown, Rhode Island, is the perfect example of how sustainable choices can benefit both the environment and the economic bottom line. Martha Neal and her husband George decided to pursue a clean energy system in 2018, redefining the farms carbon footprint, and significantly reducing their energy bills.  

Since the 1960s, Windmist Farm has been family-owned and operated, providing high quality, grass-fed and pasture-raised meat and eggs, along with vegetables and other products.  

“We require a lot of storage for these products; we run 5 chest freezers as well as 2 walk-in freezers and a cooler. We looked into solar years ago and decided it was too costly, but in 2018 the town of Jamestown ran an incentive program called Solarize Jamestown, and it seemed like the right time to look into it again,” said Martha.  

With the help of several funding sources including the Rhode Island Agricultural Energy Program, USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program, and Rhode Island Commerce’s Renewable Energy Fund, Windmist Farm installed a 25.21-kilowatt solar panel system on top of two southern facing barn roofs. 

Windmist Farm now saves a remarkable $18,000 each year in energy costs, and the payback period was calculated at just under 4 years.  

“I absolutely recommend my farmer friends look into these solar grant opportunities, because the people that are involved are very helpful, and the energy savings are well worth the time and effort it took to apply for the grants and have the project completed.” 

If you are a farmer or small business owner looking for ways to save money on your energy bills, please contact our helpful staff at the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources.