"For each of our questions, there was always someone with an answer instantly. The time or day never mattered. Several times, the solar solutions team from Valley visited us to solve problems we didn't even know we had! They made us feel secure that we invested in the right company.”
Andreia Cervo Stefanello
Overcoming the Obstacle of Isolation
No matter where they are, modern farms can’t function without access to affordable energy. The government of Brazil has made recent progress in bringing electricity to rural areas, but getting it to properties far from cities can still be a challenge.
That was the obstacle faced by Andreia Cervo Stefanello of Porta do Céu, Cristina, Santa Maria and Paraíso farms, all located in the Mato Grosso region of Brazil. "We grow soy, corn, popcorn, sunflower, sugar cane and beans on 5,000 hectares (approximately 12,300 acres)," says Stefanello. "In 2018, we decided to invest in solar energy to overcome the problem of fluctuating energy availability – and avoid the shock of electricity bills.”
"When we met the Valley team, it was clear that they are professionals who are passionate about solar energy, and their ‘energy’ is contagious,” Stefanello says. “From the beginning, we were impressed with their professionalism, their availability and the overall quality of the service.”
The experts on the team made frequent visits to the farms to consult, and monitored the installation for early detection of problems. "After making some adjustments, we saw a return on our investment in solar energy, so we expanded – a project that would require more energy. It quickly became clear that it was the right decision.”
The conversion to solar energy was favorable for the farms, and allowed them to take more control of their destiny. “Weighing the monthly cost of energy previously and the cost of the installation, our investment has paid off. We became more economical, sustainable and functional at the same time."