Pig nursery saves 80% on electricity bills using solar energy

Solar energy is an economical and sustainable solution for several sectors, including agribusiness. In addition to reducing the cost of electricity bills at the end of the month, the photovoltaic source guarantees the generation of energy in places where the grid is intermittent and, with the value of the savings, consumers can invest in their properties.

Entrepreneurs Cleomar Graciani and Marcelo Graciani, Nadir José Cervelin and Jandir Biavatti, co-owners of BCG Agronegócio, invested in installing a photovoltaic system for the pig farm in March and, since then, have been saving around R$6 per month.

The property, located in the municipality of Cordilheira Alta (SC), covers 30 hectares and advocates sustainable agriculture. The project was designed by BiondoTech, a Renovigi accredited company in Chapecó, and has 160 440 W panels and eight Reno5KPlus inverters.

Before installation, the electricity bill spent per month exceeded R$7. Today, the value has dropped to approximately R$700 per month, a saving of close to 80%.

“The modules installed are with the new Half Cell technology (increased output power), the project was not larger due to the power limitation of the transformer as it is a two-phase network,” says Rafael Biondo, director of BiondoTech.

“Our concept is preservation in all aspects, waste treatment, fertigation for soil fertilization, collection and treatment of rainwater, innovation within animal husbandry – the water that the piglets consume is the same as the water we consume. It is the principle of animal welfare where it responds with productivity”, explains Nadir José Cervelin, one of the partners and adds,

Entrepreneurs also intend to expand their field of activity and invest in cattle breeding or hay production. Currently, with its automated system, BCG's production meets the demand of the international market and the pig nursery has 12 thousand piglets that arrive shortly after weaning, 21 days and remain for approximately 50 days.

The care includes feeding, air conditioning of the sheds to meet animal welfare, water, hygiene of the stalls, among others. “I believe in solar energy because it is something that nature offers us for free and because of its fundamental impact on the growth of our country. It is an excellent alternative for agriculture, reducing operational costs and because it does not require spending on wiring”, highlights Cervelin, who has experience in the agribusiness industry.

While partner Marcelo Graciani, with a degree and postgraduate degree in economics, highlights the initial challenge of optimizing investment costs. “We evaluated other sources of renewable energy, such as pig waste, but, from a financial point of view and for added value, we opted for solar, combined with the credibility of Renovigi's work, the logistics team with the early delivery of the material and the BiondoTech for its efficiency whenever we need support.”