Cooperative Living March 2023 - 26

ENERGY SENSE
Planting the
Seeds of Savings
by Miranda Boutelle, Contributing Columnist
Finding ways to use less energy can
reduce costs and result in more efficient
farming practices for years to come.
Helping farmers reduce energy costs benefits
Q:
F
Are there ways to reduce
energy use on a farm?
inding ways to use less energy
can reduce costs and result
in energy savings for years
to come.
When looking to improve farm
efficiency, consider the following areas.
MOTORS AND PUMPS
Because motors and pumps account
for a significant amount of energy use
on a farm, replacing inefficient motors
with efficient models can save energy
and reduce costs. Adding variable
frequency drives allow you to vary
the frequency and voltage supplied
to the motor or pump to adjust the
motor's speed. This saves kilowatt
hours and reduces load by only
operating at the needed capacity.
VFDs can be used in place of a phase
converter, which allows use of threephase
power equipment where there
is only access to single-phase power.
IRRIGATION
Upgrade irrigation equipment
to use less water, which means less
pumping and reducing the amount
of water and energy consumed. The
goal is to get the right amount of
water where it is needed. This can be
24 ● Cooperative Living ●
March 2023
A:
The importance of farms cannot be understated. Farmers feed our
families and keep the country running, but the business brings many
challenges, including risk and uncertainty.
accomplished by reducing evaporation
through system design and fixing leaks
in the system. GPS and geographic
information system technologies allow
for more specific irrigation targeting.
Monitor and test systems regularly
to ensure maximum efficiency.
LIGHT
The longer lights are on, the higher
the potential for savings. Prioritize
replacing incandescent or fluorescent
exterior lighting on photocells or
lights that stay on all night. LED lights
last two to four times longer than
fluorescents and 25 to 35 times longer
than incandescents. That means less
frequent replacement, which saves on
materials and labor costs.
HEATER CONTROLS
In climates where engine block
heaters are used to keep vehicle engines
warm enough to start, adding engine
block heater controls with temperature
sensors and timers will reduce
electricity use. To keep water from
freezing on farms with livestock, save
energy by using stock tank heaters with
thermostatic controls, which operate
only when needed instead of running
constantly. Insulated stock tanks may
eliminate the need to heat water.
EMERGING TECHNOLOG
New farming technologies that
offer efficiency possibilities include
electric tractors, space heating and water
heating. Equipment with information
technology capabilities can aid efficiency
by monitoring conditions and automating
farming tasks. As with home efficiency
practices, consider the equipment
used most and the savings potential
from upgrading or modifying existing
equipment.
REBATES
About 80% of U.S. farms are located
in counties served by electric cooperatives.
Check with your local electric cooperative
to see if they offer rebates on farming
equipment and energy-efficiency projects
that help reduce energy use.
Improving efficiency on the farm
can result in less energy use, lower bills
and improved farming success during
challenging financial times. 
Miranda Boutelle writes on energy
efficiency topics for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
co-opliving.com
PHOTOS COURTESY BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living March 2023

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