Pennsylvania farmers found a way around rising power bills

Summary

Climate Connections Podcast Summary

Episode: Pennsylvania farmers found a way around rising power bills
Date: April 24, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale Center for Environmental Communication

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Overview

This episode explores how a cooperative of organic farmers near Pittsburgh is using rooftop solar panels to shield themselves from increasing electricity prices. It highlights their journey toward energy stability, climate-friendly practices, and financial resilience, exemplifying how community action and smart investments can mitigate both economic and environmental challenges.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Rising Electricity Costs and the Farming Challenge

• Host Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz sets the stage by acknowledging that rising electricity prices are a widespread issue:

  "Electricity prices are rising across the country, but a group of organic farmers near Pittsburgh is less affected by these rising costs, thanks to rooftop solar panels." (00:01)

• Farms, especially those storing perishable produce, are highly sensitive to electricity costs due to high energy demand from refrigeration.

Motivation for Energy Independence and Stability

• Nathan Holmes, owner of Three Rivers Grown and manager at Clarion River Organics, underlines why local farmers value energy control:

  "When you're creating that energy yourself, you have stability, and that's kind of what farmers like is stability." (00:17)

• The storage warehouse, with three walk-in coolers, uses substantial energy:

  "Especially when it's 97 degrees outside and you're trying to keep produce at 34 [degrees]." (00:42)

Strategic Planning and Funding Innovation

• Proactive design enabled future sustainability:

  "The warehouse was built with a south facing roof so solar panels could be added one day." (00:48)

• The key turning point was a $20,000 federal grant:

  "The group could not afford the upfront costs until a few years ago, when Three Rivers Grown received a $20,000 grant from the federal government's Rural Energy for America program that enabled them to finally invest in clean energy." (00:48)

Results: Climate-Friendly and Financially Sustainable Farming

• Installing solar panels has dual benefits:
  • Reduces carbon footprint (clean energy)
  • Provides significant savings on electricity bills

  "Today, the solar panels have made their operation more climate friendly and are saving them money on electricity." (01:08)

• Nathan Holmes sums up the benefit:

  "For farmers to have cheap, secure electricity long term is a good thing." (01:14)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nathan Holmes (00:17):

  "When you're creating that energy yourself, you have stability, and that's kind of what farmers like is stability."

• Nathan Holmes (00:42):

  "...especially when it's 97 degrees outside and you're trying to keep produce at 34."

• Nathan Holmes (01:14):

  "For farmers to have cheap, secure electricity long term is a good thing."

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Important Timestamps

• 00:01–00:17: Introduction to the issue and farmers' solar solution
• 00:17–00:42: Nathan Holmes discusses the value of energy stability and the challenges of refrigeration
• 00:48–01:08: How the warehouse’s solar design and a federal grant enabled the project
• 01:08–01:20: Reflection on the long-term benefits of clean, affordable, reliable electricity for farmers

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Episode Tone

The episode uses a practical, hopeful tone, emphasizing both the challenges of climate change and the empowering solutions that communities and farmers can adopt.

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For more climate stories and information, visit climateconnections.org.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. Electricity prices are rising across the country, but a group of organic farmers near Pittsburgh is less affected by these rising costs, thanks to rooftop solar panels.

[B]

When you're creating that energy yourself, you have stability, and that's kind of what farmers like is stability.

[A]

Nathan Holmes owns the grocery distribution company Three Rivers Grown, and he also helps manage Clarion River Organics, a cooperative of Amish farmers that supplies produce to stores in Pittsburgh and beyond. He says the warehouse where the co op stores its crops has three walk in coolers, which use a lot of energy,

[B]

especially when it's 97 degrees outside and you're trying to keep produce at 34.

[A]

The warehouse was built with a south facing roof so solar panels could be added one day. But the group could not afford the upfront costs until a few Years ago, when Three Rivers Grown received a $20,000 grant from the federal government's Rural Energy for America program that enabled them to finally invest in clean energy. Today, the solar panels have made their operation more climate friendly and are saving them money on electricity.

[B]

For farmers to have cheap, secure electricity long term is a good thing.

[A]

Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.