The prototype building powered a cattle barn, office, and residence off-the-grid for a full month.
AUDUBON, Iowa — Accu-Steel, a leader in fabric-covered building solutions, has successfully completed its first fully off-the-grid month using a solar-integrated building system. Installed at the company’s headquarters, the prototype structure powers itself, a cattle building, an outbuilding, an onsite office, and the home of founder Jason Owen—all without drawing a single kilowatt-hour from the electrical grid.
“This is energy independence in practice—not just a concept,” said John Klehn, managing partner for Accu-Steel. “We generated more power than we used, stayed completely off the grid, and proved this system can work for everyday ag operations.”
Even through three consecutive days of limited sunlight, the battery never dipped below a 49% charge. Additional performance data from May 4 to June 4, 2025, is as follows:
- Energy generated: 1,828.8 kilowatt-hours
- Energy consumed: 1,537.4 kilowatt-hours
- Battery charge: 944.2 kilowatt-hours
- Battery discharge: 953.0 kilowatt-hours
This project was developed in partnership with solar technology company Pvilion, combining Accu-Steel’s infrastructure expertise with advanced solar integration. The building—currently used as storage for equipment, overflow commodities, and general warehousing—integrates flexible rooftop solar panels and a commercial-grade battery system that operates as a self-contained microgrid.
With flexible applications for cattle barns, storage, and equipment housing, this building venture represents a scalable, real-world solution for producers looking to reduce risk and take control of rising energy costs.
“This removes a major variable from a farmer’s balance sheet,” said Klehn. “It’s one less input to forecast. One less cost to worry about fluctuating. And it builds resilience into the entire operation.”
As energy demand rises across the U.S.—driven in part by data centers, AI, and automation—grid instability and power pricing are becoming real concerns for business owners and operators. Accu-Steel’s solution addresses that head-on by giving producers direct control over their own power supply.
“This isn’t a futuristic concept,” Klehn said. “It’s an application-ready building that’s already doing the work. We’re taking what we’ve learned and refining it to deliver something that’s field-ready, farmer-tested, and scalable.”
“What’s great about a product at this scale is that it can be used as either a primary power source or as an emergency backup power supply to enhance farm resiliency, depending on the need,” said Colin Touhey, co-founder and CEO of Pvilion. “These systems have been used for large rugged military applications like powering aircraft hangars and more—it’s great to see this technology now become available for the agricultural space. These systems are more than capable of powering everyday farm needs whether it be irrigation pumps and fans, power tool charging and operating, heating and cooling, lighting, or any other heavy equipment needs. We are thrilled to see it take off in agricultural settings with Accu-Steel’s expertise!”
Accu-Steel plans to introduce commercial availability of solar-integrated buildings in 2026, with a focus on cattle barns and other general farm-use applications.
About Accu-Steel
Accu-Steel is a proud manufacturer of fabric-covered structures that are Built Around You. With customizable, flexible, and high-quality solutions, Accu-Steel serves a wide range of industries, including grain storage, livestock, public works, sports and recreation, aviation, retail and more. The company was founded on a century farm in 1995 and is still proudly Made in the USA.
For more information visit accusteel.com.
About Pavilion
Pvilion designs flexible, solar-integrated fabric products that generate electricity anywhere the sun shines. Backed by decades of expertise in lightweight structures and clean energy, Pvilion delivers scalable solutions for military, commercial, and architectural applications—from tents and canopies to charging stations and building facades.
For more information visit pvilion.com.