In its nascent stages, solar energy was primarily used to supply electric energy to homes and offices that were far from a power grid. Over time, solar energy has found its way into other sectors and applications. As a renewable energy source, there is no fear of its depletion, unlike fossil-fueled energy such as coal, gas, and petroleum.

With global warming decidedly changing the climatic conditions across the US, crop production has been steadily declining across the country for both small and large farms. In fact, an increasing number of smaller farms (less than 100 acres) are finding it difficult to sustain profits from mere farming, and are hence looking towards innovative measures to make profit and live off the land.