25 Quick On-Farm Energy Saving Tips

• Change from incandescent lighting to T-8 fluorescent lighting in your barns
• Use dimmers and motion sensors on your barn lights
• Match the size of the tractor to the size of implements
• Ensure that your equipment tires are inflated properly
• Follow the recommended maintenance schedule for your machinery and equipment
• Have tight fitting windows and doors in your farm buildings
• Seal windows with caulking and weather stripping.
• Insulate farm building outside walls with greater than R20 and ceiling greater than R30
• Find out about the potential of generating wind energy
• Look into anaerobic digestion of manure for green energy and reduced odour on your farm
• Explore opportunities for using solar energy around the farmstead or around the farm (powering electric fences and water pumps)
• Find out about using shelled corn as a heating fuel
• Change to a milk pre-cooler system to cool the milk before it enters the bulk milk tank
• Use variable speed drives (VSD) on vacuum and milk pumps on your milking equipment
• Consider adjusting lights in the dairy barn to increase milk production
• Install a heat reclaimer
• Investigate availability of water recycling equipment
• Insulate hot water lines
• Use a timer on your water heater so the water is the right temperature only when you need it
• Flush the sediment from the hot water tank regularly
• Maximize natural ventilation in your livestock barns wherever possible
• Clean ventilation fans
• Avoid irrigating on hot sunny or windy days
• Apply only the amount of irrigation water required for crop growth.
• Consider doing an on-farm energy audit