| Resource Type | Webinar |
| Author / Source | Co-op Innovation Network (CIN) |
| Publication Date | April 2026 |
| Location | United States (Oregon, Colorado examples; framework applicable nationally) |
| Initiative Type | Technology, Program, Policy |
| Project Complexity | Intermediate |
| Recommended For | Board, Staff |
Estimated viewing time: 60 minutes
Why This Matters for Rural Electric Co-ops
Farm energy costs can represent 10-50% of total farm business expenses. Fertilizer, diesel, and electricity are the top three consumers, and fertilizer and diesel prices tend to spike together because both depend on natural gas markets.
For rural electric co-ops, beneficial electrification of farm equipment, irrigation pumps, heating systems, and vehicles represents both a load growth opportunity and a way to help member-owners stabilize input costs and improve farm viability. The webinar frames specific entry points (irrigation VFDs, heat pumps, electric utility vehicles, agrivoltaics paired with on-site load) that co-op staff can match to member needs, funding programs, and rate design. Co-op leaders can use this resource to identify near-term programs to develop with farm members and to think about how time-of-use rates, contractor education, and resilience offerings fit together.
Key Takeaways
| › | Fertilizer, diesel, and electricity are the largest energy expenses on farms, and because fertilizer and diesel prices move together with natural gas, electrification gives farmers a way to diversify and stabilize input costs. |
| › | Irrigation pumps are among the single largest on-farm electricity users and a top efficiency target. Converting diesel pumps to electric, adding variable frequency drives, and pairing pump upgrades with pressurized pipe delivery can cut horsepower by up to 50 percent in some cases. |
| › | Pairing on-farm solar or agrivoltaics with electrified equipment (electric tractors, UTVs, pickups, forklifts, heat pumps, grain drying) increases the value of behind-the-meter generation as net metering compensation declines. |
| › | Co-ops have specific levers to accelerate adoption: time-of-use and off-peak charging rates, contractor training on modern heat pumps, EV ride-and-drive demonstrations, and resilience offerings that use EVs and battery storage as backup power during wildfire-driven outages. |
Implementation Considerations
- Cost or Funding Requirements: USDA REAP grants historically covered up to 50 percent of project cost for energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades for farms and rural small businesses, and can be stacked with utility rebates, NRCS EQIP funding, and state programs. Co-ops can play a matchmaking role by helping members navigate available funding even when they are not the direct funder.
- Regulatory or Governance Considerations: As of April 2026, USDA REAP is currently paused for federal review, with a new NOFO expected summer 2026 and applications expected to reopen in 2027. Specific program priorities and percentages may change, so co-ops should verify current REAP status before directing members to apply.
- Staffing or Technology Requirements: Many farmers can service their existing diesel pumps but lack experience with VFDs and electric pumps, and many rural HVAC contractors are unfamiliar with current heat pump technology. Co-ops may need to invest in contractor engagement, member education, and partnerships with technical assistance providers (extension services, nonprofits like Wy'East and AFT) since smaller co-ops will not have this capacity in-house.
Notable Examples
- Beneficial Electrification League: National organization defining beneficial electrification and tracking on-farm electrification technologies.
- American Farmland Trust Smart Solar team: Engaging Colorado co-ops on agrivoltaics barriers and opportunities.
- Wy'East RCD: Runs ER&E Farms equipment demonstration program, EV Math economics site, and a CREP-funded resilience project deploying Beam EV ARC solar-plus-storage units at rural gas stations in Wasco County, Oregon.
- Mesa County, Colorado: Permits agrivoltaics by-right on agricultural land, reducing permitting friction.
- Oregon State University (Dr. Chad Higgins): Operates an agrivoltaics research farm studying solar shading effects on Willamette Valley crop production.
- Tri-State G&T: Engaging contractors across member co-ops in Colorado on heat pump adoption.
- Monarch Tractor and Polaris: Manufacturers of electric tractors and UTVs being tested in rural demonstration programs.
Estimated viewing time: 60 minutes
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