Options to Reduce Energy use on the Farm

This info-sheet will look at the options to reduce energy use. Many management actions and new technologies are available that can be used to minimize energy use and maximize energy efficiency.

The biggest users of electrical power are heat, light and motors. Your farm operation will dictate which of these are the priorities. For example, a swine farrow unit will have a large creep heat load, usually heat lamps; a dairy farmer will have a large motor load from milk handling, cooling, as well as from feed and manure handling. Poultry will have the bigger loads from lighting and ventilation.

In each type of farm, opportunities exist to reduce power consumption and peak demand.
The following are areas on farms that can be looked at for energy savings.

Heating Water: house, barn, milk house/parlor

• Set water heater to lowest setting to do job (i.e. sanitation)
• Purge 2-3 gallons 2 x yearly from tank drain
• Convert water heater/boiler to more efficient system
• propane /natural gas/ oil / heat pump high efficiency
• Calibrate heated water bowl thermostats and correct settings
• Disconnect heated bowls in warm weather
• Use large storage, low wattage water heaters (demand)
• 'Use Instant-on" heater for low use locations
• Insulate water heater, plus first 20' of pipe
• Repair leaks immediately
• Replace old insulation in water bowls
• Seal air leaks into water bowl enclosures
• Add wind breaks to water bowls

  Solar Hot water systems

Space Heating

• Weather strip, silicone windows, doors
• Sealed double pane windows
• Clean electric system components; breaker panels, switches, fans, etc.
• Inspect building insulation every 2 to 3 years
• Upgrade building insulation
• Upgrade furnace/boiler to more efficient system propane /natural gas/ oil / heat pump high
• fficiency
• Use passive solar systems

Lighting

• Set timers, adjust photocells, motion sensors
• Light work zones, not entire area
• Clean lamps, covers (detergent, water)
• Energy efficient lighting
• Replace incandescent with compact fluorescent or rewire and install 4' fluorescent fixtures: longer life, lower energy costs
• Convert to Fluorescent T-8 fixtures future T-5
• Install High intensity Discharge (HID) High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Metal Halide (MH) for ceilings over 12' , outdoor areas
• LED lighting
• Designed lighting systems design for correct light levels
• Use automatic dimmable level controllers
• Install motion sensors, auto timers
• Install photocells
• Heat lamps - use new energy efficient lamps or heat pads

Motors: Ventilation, feed & manure handling

• Size properly (i.e. replace motors with same size to optimize life and energy efficiency)
• Place in clean, dry, cool areas when possible
• Maintain motors, belts, pulleys
• Size to load; replace equivalent
• Select Energy Efficient Fans and motors for, feed system, manure handling,
  when purchasing new or replacement motors
• Select high volume low speed fans

Milking Equipment: Milking equipment is one of the biggest energy users on dairy farms

• Milk precoolers
  - reduces the cooling system load substantially
  - plate cooler
• New energy efficient [ Scroll] compressors
  new compressors require much less current than conventional compressors and are even able to run on single-phase electricity. A recent study found that a 3-hp energy efficient compressor used 42.1 percent fewer kilowatt-hours than a 3-hp conventional compressor.
• Vacuum Pump Technology
  -new energy efficient technology called a variable speed drive (VSD) vacuum pump system. Studies have found that energy use during milking or washing can be reduced by 50%
• Calibrate milking system - water, power and use soap etc
• Refrigeration heat recovery unit - usually not used with plate coolers
• Automatic milker takeoffs

Clean electrical components, breaker panels, thermostats, fans

Poor contacts can cause some wasted energy; but more importantly, they create the opportunity for a fire hazard.

Other options available to reduce energy use on livestock farms include:

• Farm power demand management:

  Demand management and time of use charges: [lower cost power if not at peak time], opportunities exist in different farm operations for load shifting.

  Interlock so large motors cannot all operate at same time.
  Modify operation sequencing

Fencing:

Solar fencing instead of hydro powered

Watering cattle:

solar , wind , ram pumps etc
Frost free waters for livestock- no or low hydro units

Timers on block heaters (except tractor used for PTO generator)

New water pumps that are more energy efficient like permanent magnet soft start motors can be used.

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