Wyoming Ranchers Seek Solar Power to Offset Soaring Energy Costs

Cattle producers Tim Teichert and Jason Thornock turn to renewable energy to keep their family ranches viable.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 1:23pm

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In the small ranching town of Cokeville, Wyoming, two cattle producers, Tim Teichert and Jason Thornock, are exploring solar power as a way to offset their skyrocketing energy costs and keep their family-run operations viable. However, restrictive net-metering laws in the state are preventing them from fully benefiting from renewable energy generation on their land.

Why it matters

Electricity is one of the largest operating expenses for ranchers, with Teichert and Thornock's annual bills reaching $90,000 and $150,000 respectively. These high costs make it increasingly difficult for family-run agricultural operations to survive, let alone plan for the future. Pairing agriculture with renewable energy, known as agrivoltaics, could help strengthen rural economies and cut climate pollution, but current policies in Wyoming are hindering ranchers from taking advantage of these benefits.

The details

Teichert and Thornock both applied for federal grants in 2023 through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) to invest in solar power and offset their energy costs. However, Wyoming's net-metering laws cap how much solar energy farms can credit back to the grid, making the economics challenging. While Thornock initially backed out of plans to build a solar array, fearing the laws wouldn't change, Teichert went ahead and installed a system, but is now operating at a loss due to the utility company's low power purchase agreement rates.

  • In 2023, Teichert and Thornock applied for REAP grants to invest in solar power.
  • A bill to raise Wyoming's net-metering cap failed, leaving the laws unchanged.

The players

Tim Teichert

A cattle producer in Cokeville, Wyoming who installed a solar array on his ranch to offset energy costs, but is now operating at a loss due to the state's restrictive net-metering laws.

Jason Thornock

A cattle producer in Cokeville, Wyoming who initially backed out of plans to build a solar array on his ranch, fearing the net-metering laws wouldn't change to support it.

Chris Brown

The executive director of Powering Up Wyoming, who explained that many ranchers look to renewables to diversify their revenue streams and keep their family operations viable.

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What they’re saying

“We're not asking for a handout. I just want to be able to compete. I just want to be able to make a living.”

— Jason Thornock, Cattle Producer

“A lot of ranchers really look to renewables to help diversify their revenue stream, keep the ranch whole, and keep their family on the ranch, keep the land together.”

— Chris Brown, Executive Director, Powering Up Wyoming

What’s next

The Wyoming legislature will need to revisit the state's net-metering laws in order to make it more feasible for ranchers like Teichert and Thornock to offset their energy costs through solar power generation.

The takeaway

This story highlights the challenges family-run agricultural operations face in rural America, as well as the potential for renewable energy to help sustain these businesses. However, outdated policies are currently preventing ranchers from fully benefiting from clean energy solutions that could strengthen their economic viability and preserve working lands for future generations.