Case studies help farmers save energy and money

Do you want to reduce energy costs on farm and improve your energy efficiency?

Online case studies are providing farmers the opportunity to learn from seven Victorian farmers making smart on-farm energy decisions and the benefits they found by investing in new technology.

Agriculture Victoria farm business economist Julie Harman said the case studies were available online as part of the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan.

“The economic case studies consider benefits such as energy savings and co-benefits such as labour productivity, on farms across a range of agricultural industries,” she said. The seven case studies look at:

Solar panels and battery storage; Improving greenhouse insulation;

Energy efficiency for croppers with chaser bins and belt shifter improvements;

Gains for grape growers to improve yield and quality;

Rapid chiller in a dairy farm lowering costs; and,

Rooftop solar panels and solar water pumps.

Ms Harman said if people preferred to listen rather than read they can tune into a podcast with Tony McCarthy, who is one of the farmers from the case studies.

“Tony arrived in Australia with just a backpack and has since been focusing on building up his business from scratch of which energy management has and is an important part.

“An energy audit undertaken through the Agriculture Energy Investment Plan was a big leg up for Tony in identifying energy savings,” she said.

Ms Harman said the case studies, podcasts and other materials were part of the Energy Smart Farming community which brings together farm energy experts including farmers, service providers, advisors, researchers and community advocates to share energy knowledge, research and solutions to help make Australian farming more profitable.

Find the case studies and more about efficient and renewable energy technologies that improve farm productivity and resilience at extensionaus.com.au/energysmartfarming/ on-farm-energy-efficiency-and-cost-savings/