Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 10

93 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 AG TECHNOLOGI ES , INC . (SOLARCAM) system, and I realized that it actually could pay for itself, which led to the decision, later in the year, to sell and install solar installations commercially.” That decision led to the formation of SolarCAM, a venture Jim currently runs with one of his sons, Mike, while his two other sons run the farm equipment arm of the business. With a busy team of 15 skilled employees, SolarCAM sells and installs patented solar systems to rural customers in Indiana and the surrounding states. The company specializes in ground-mounted solar systems, with the company’s product standing out because the arrays are adjustable to compensate for the different angles of sunlight throughout the year. “In 2012, I realized compensating for the angle of the sun was critical to maximizing solar energy production, so I registered and got a patent for that,” says Jim. By 2016, the company had created a turnkey solution that included planning and mapping, construction of small (residential) and large (commercial) projects, system monitoring, and grant applications. Since then, they’ve grown the business year over year, as more rural customers realize they have the space and need for renewable energy. Part of the sales pitch the SolarCAM team applies when selling solar to rural customers is the cost benefit. As Jim explains, rural customers are less inclined to put in solar for ideological reasons but will do so if it makes monetary sense. He notes, “We sell solar systems based on the monetary return. We tell the customer, ‘here is your payback; it might not pay you back in one or two years, but after 10 to 12 years, you’ll have broken even.’ Any environmental benefit is just icing on the cake.” SolarCAM undertakes a feasibility study during each project and handles everything from planning and permitting to construction and