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Agriculture businesses continue to face rising costs for many things, including energy. Energy costs have increased significantly over the past several months, with farmers and ranchers paying more for electricity, natural gas, and even diesel and gasoline. To combat these increasing costs, farmers and ranchers are reviewing how they use energy in their operations, and are looking for ways to reduce costs, improve energy efficiency and reduce impacts on the environment. Just by implementing small changes like turning out lights or turning down the heat you may cut energy costs by 10 to 20 percent, depending on current operating efficiencies.
It’s easier to save a watt than to produce a watt!
“We’ve developed an Energy Audit Manual to help farmers and ranchers better understand what their energy use is for their operation,” explains Tamara Lewis, Conservation Economics Agrologist with Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development’s AESA (Alberta’s Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture) Program. “We partnered with the AgTech Centre in Lethbridge to develop an easy to use energy audit to help farmers and ranchers examine their farm energy bills to see how much energy is used and what the associated costs are.”
The Energy Audit Manual is any easy way to record and track energy use on the farm. “Bill Trackers” have been developed to help farmers and ranchers track their use of energy sources, such as electrical, natural gas, diesel fuel and gasoline. An Alternative Energy “Bill Tracker” has also been included to track other energy sources that may be used, such as biomass, propane, coal, solar and wind. “The Bill Trackers are designed to record and analyze 12 months of energy billing information,” says Lewis. Recording 12 months is important to be able to account for production fluctuations and changes in use throughout the year, and ensure the bills accurately reflect those changes. “If the 12 months recorded are not considered to be a typical year, it may be useful to refer to additional records before implementing any major changes.”
Lewis explains that the energy audit is the first step in energy management. “Completing the energy audit makes users more aware of their input costs, and helps identify where energy use can be reduced or energy can be used more efficiently,” she says. The audit can help determine how to reduce the impact of energy price fluctuations, and to understand and identify spikes in energy use. As part of the energy audit, users develop an action plan for their operation.
“One of the most important things to remember about the Energy Audit Manual, is that it is an awareness tool,” says Katrina Lakenman, Engineer-in-Training with Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development’s (AAFRD) AgTech Centre in Lethbridge. “You need to know what your energy costs are first, before you can measure any changes in efficiency.” Once energy consumption and costs have been measured, then users can analyze for example why costs have increased even if production hasn’t, and take steps to make changes where necessary.
“We always tell farmers and ranchers that it is easier to save a watt than it is to produce a watt,” says Lakenman. “So once they have information about where they are using energy, then they can look at different ways they may be able to save.” For example, reviewing how equipment is used, if lights are being left on all the time, if ventilation fans are clean or running more often because they are dirty. Ensuring equipment is maintained properly, and keeping up with simple things like changing oil and routine maintenance checks are important steps.
“Once you have measured and analyzed what you are doing, then the next step will be to implement ways to change or to reduce what you are doing to reduce energy usage,” says Lakenman. Review lighting systems, and consider whether they be changed or put on a computerized system to reduce usage. Determine if heating systems could be controlled differently. Identify regular maintenance systems that should be implemented as preventative measures. “After every effort has been made to reduce energy usage, then the next step may be to consider implementing alternative energy systems,” says Lakenman. “However, they can also be very expensive, so it’s important to ensure other ways of reducing energy consumption have been considered first.”
Along with the Energy Audit Manual, a separate factsheet has been developed to specifically address lighting issues. “This factsheet provides an example of how to save money by switching lighting fixtures from incandescent to fluorescent lighting,” says Lewis. “The energy savings can be huge, and by moving from incandescent to fluorescent lighting the energy savings can be four to one.”
The Energy Audit Manual will be available at the end of March through Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. |
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