579.7 kW portfolio delivers measurable electricity cost savings and energy resilience for the HBF network of organic egg farmers
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., and NEW YORK — Emergent Solar Energy, a leading developer of commercial, industrial and on-farm agricultural solar headquartered in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, has completed nine on-site solar projects for Handsome Brook Farms, a leading producer of organic pasture-raised and free-range eggs.
Jessica Coslow, director of pasture management at Handsome Brook Farms, said, “Handsome Brook Farms is investing in the long-term success and resilience of our network of family farmers. Our brand has always been centered around supporting small family producers.”
The 579.7-kilowatt portfolio spans facilities in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky and now generates on-site power that lowers electricity costs and strengthens energy resilience across the company’s organic egg production operations.
Josiah Troyer, a Handsome Brook Farms producer from Sugarcreek, Ohio, said the results have exceeded expectations.
“From the beginning, I have been extremely pleased with what we accomplished with Handsome Brook Farms and Emergent Solar Energy,” Troyer said. “Their teams stayed in constant communication and focused on the specifics of our farm to develop, design, procure, deliver and install a solar system that reduced our yearly electric bill by 74.23%. Since it was placed in service, the system has maintained 100% uptime and solar production.”
Combined, the nine systems are projected to offset approximately 668 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually.
The operational benefits of solar
“On-farm solar has moved from a sustainability gesture to a core capital decision for agricultural producers,” said Jeremy Lipinski, founder and CEO of Emergent Solar Energy. “Across these nine Handsome Brook Farms projects in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, we deployed on-site energy infrastructure that converts rising, unpredictable utility operational expense into a fixed, owned capital expenditure asset. As egg and livestock production continues to electrify, on-site solar is the most direct lever producers have to protect margins and control their long-term cost of energy.”
As energy costs rise across the United States, agricultural producers face growing pressure to improve operational efficiency while protecting profitability. The completed Emergent Solar Energy and Handsome Brook Farms portfolio reflects a long-term infrastructure approach to that challenge.
In addition to reducing energy costs, the completed projects:
- Reduce dependence on utility grid power
- Improve long-term energy cost predictability
- Strengthen operational resilience across multiple facilities
- Advance corporate sustainability and carbon-reduction goals
- Demonstrate leadership in agricultural energy innovation
“More producers and food manufacturers are treating on-site energy generation as a strategic asset rather than a utility expense,” said Zacaria Martinez, commercial business development at Emergent Solar Energy. “Across the Handsome Brook Farms portfolio, we delivered nine solar systems totaling 579.7 kilowatts, each engineered to the individual farm’s load profile and completed on time and on budget.”
About Emergent Solar Energy
Emergent Solar Energy is a leading commercial and industrial solar EPC headquartered in the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, Indiana. Recognized by Solar Power World as the highest-ranked commercial and industrial solar EPC headquartered in the state, Emergent specializes in on-site commercial solar PV and battery energy storage systems for the manufacturing, municipal, and agricultural sectors. The firm provides end-to-end project delivery, including feasibility analysis, engineering, construction, interconnection, and performance management. Emergent Solar Energy applies a disciplined, data-driven approach to optimize on-site energy economics while advancing long-term sustainability and energy independence objectives.
About Handsome Brook Farms
Handsome Brook Farms is a leading producer of organic pasture-raised and free-range eggs, committed to supporting family farmers, animal welfare, and sustainable agricultural practices. Through a network of partner farms and production facilities, Handsome Brook Farms delivers high-quality products while maintaining a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and operational excellence.
Media contacts: Jeremy Lipinski, Emergent Solar Energy, jeremy@emergentsolar.energy, 765-715-5515
Steve Martin, Purdue Research Foundation, sgmartin@prf.org
