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Opportunities for Reduced Non-Renewable Energy Use in Canadian Prairie Agricultural Production Systems
This report identifies opportunities to reduce non-renewable energy use in Canadian prairie agriculture. Natural Resouces Canada, through the Panel on Energy Research and Development (PERD) program coordinates energy research and development in co-operation with the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). One of the objectives of the Panel's program is to increase energy use efficiency in the agri-food sector.
The main objective of this project was to develop a methodology to estimate and compare non-renewable energy inputs, energy outputs, and energy use efficiency from six crop production technologies and practices in the Canadian Prairies: enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, increased use of zero tillage, decreased use of summerfallow area, the inclusion of more forage in crop rotations, a 10% improvement in the fuel efficiency of farm machinery, and crop diversification and extension. The scope of this report was limited to estimating the macro-level impacts on energy use in the Canadian Prairies that would result from greater use of these practices. Macro-level analysis aggregated farm-level information on energy use to a regional basis (e.g. soil zone, agroecosystem, or prairie-wide).
For more information on this publication, please e-mail: Econ_Research@agr.gc.ca.
Opportunities for Reduced Non-Renewable Energy Use in Canadian Prairie Agricultural Production Systems (PDF version, 477 KB) - Help on PDF
Publication: 2082/B - ISBN: 0-662-65881-7 - Catalogue: A22-225/2001 - Project: 01-047-r