Sustainability is a big idea in small farming, for many farmers it is important to do as little harm to the environment as possible. One area where this has caused problems is with tractors and other farm machinery. Depending on the size of farm, a tractor can be a necessity, however it doesn’t need to increase a farm’s carbon footprint.
Solectrac is creating tractors that are 100% battery powered and can rely on solar power and batteries to keep them running. Ranging from 45,000-50,000 dollars there is a premium for sustainable machines, however electric costs are between 2-4 times cheaper than fuel expenses. Small tractors are a versatile way to deal with a few acres of farmland, attachments and towing help solve a wide variety of farm needs.
Solectrac’s innovation has led to heavy investment from sustainability and technology partners. Ideanomics the sustainable tech and data giant have recently increased their stake in Solectrac to 22% of the company. The collaboration plans to reduce the emissions of farm equipment from its current level of 10% of greenhouse emissions with clean energy tractors and infrastructure.