The farm has implemented a lighting upgrade, Power Factor Correction (PFC) and a 30.4kW Solar PV system to achieve annual energy savings over $14,700. The lights and PFC offer a payback period of under 3 years, with the PV payback around 5½ years. The Pump VSD and pressure transducer once implemented will allow the pump to operate at its Best Efficiency Point.

The audit recommended optomising the VSD speed to reduce friction losses, balancing efficiency with crop requirements. This no-cost project is saving the farmer nearly $20,000 per annum with a reduction of 19% energy consumption.

This detailed case study shows how a comprehensive audit and collaboration between the auditor and local refrigeration specialist have significantly reduced cold room operating costs with annual savings of almost $20,000 and a payback period of a year and a quarter. Refrigeration energy consumption and demand have been almost halved.

Two stages were removed from a seven-stage pump which reduced the flow rate but improved the combined efficiency by 25%. The pump demand has been reduced by 12kW and even with increased running time, running costs have reduced by $1,200 per year with a payback period under two years.

The Audit recommended a new, smaller pump which increased water flow by 1.1ML/day and improved combined efficiency by nearly 30%. The pump upgrade has been completed by the farmer even though the payback period on energy cost savings alone was estimated at over 9 years.

The farmer installed variable speed drives on two 37kW pumps providing an annual cost saving of over $14,500 with a payback period of around 18 months. Other efficiencies were identified including some refrigeration improvements and a small Solar PV system which the farmer is yet to implement.

The audit made many recommendations such as a boiler economiser and boiler combustion oxygen levels, voltage optimisation and adjusting feed processing to avoid some heating elements. A number of recommendations had a total annual energy cost saving of over $77,000 with a payback period under the companies’ 3 year payback target. Around $72,000 of extra annual savings may be available through a tariff change.

This audit considered a number of opportunities to reduce heating energy consumption. The case study highlights energy savings of 12% in covering heated hatchery tanks and heat recovery systems with an average payback or around 3.5 years and an annual saving of almost $9,500.

This case studies highlights the energy savings opportunities from audits at a number of pork farms. It highlights potential to reduce lighting energy by 66%, and reducing overall energy by up to 27% with the addition of Solar PV.