One of today's greatest challenges is balancing the population’s need for energy with environmental concerns critical to a sustainable future.  Far West Rice is particularly aware of this balance because the very product we produce comes naturally from the earth.  In order to benefit our customers, growers and neighbors we have made the commitment to go solar.  We have teamed with Pacific Power Management of Auburn California to shift our power consumption from standard grid supplied electrity to a 1-megawatt solar electric system.  This system will power the milling operation and during low production, will send power down the regional grid, thereby helping our neighboring communities during periods of high consumption.  It is estimated that this facility will equate to an annual reduction of more than 1.3 million pounds of CO2.  That is the equivalent of planning more than 2,000 acres of trees or eliminating more than 20 million miles of automobile driving.

Four-Acre Solar Project - Completion Spring 2008

5,500 Photovoltaic Modules - 821KW