This case study summarises the outcomes from audits conducted on 6 Queensland Beef Cattle farms taking part in the in the Energy Savers Program.

This case study summarises the outcomes from audits conducted on all 180 Queensland farms in the Energy Savers Plus Program (ESPPE).

This case study summarises the outcomes from audits conducted on 10 Queensland turf, sheep and pasture farms taking part in the Energy Savers Program.

This case study summarises the outcomes from an audit conducted on a large feedlot with an energy consumption of 3,000,000 kWh at an annual cost of $350,000, resulting in emissions of 2,850 tCO2-e per year. Energy and emission savings have been estimated to be 21% and cost savings at around 26%.

From two years of data average energy consumption of total farm was 27,766kWh at a cost of $3,467 per annum. Recommendations in the audit to improve energy efficiency on site included a bore pump replacement.

A farm producing feed for livestock has the potential to reduce energy consumption and costs by installing a combination of renewable and diesel energy sources onsite.

A Stanthorpe farm producing an average of 300 tonnes of stonefruit per year from 40ha could save 77% off its energy and diesel bills after implementing energy audit recommendations to upgrade their lights to LED as well as to replace the diesel pump with a solar system.

A Central Queensland farm has the potential to save time and money from an increase in battery storage and installation of 4G remote monitoring on the pumps.

The farm has a potential efficiency gain with the installation of a new solar pump. This case study compares the costs of using the existing generator and complete replacement with a new solar pump and battery backup.

This case study compares the costs and benefits of a powering a small pump with a grid connected solar system, or taking the pump off-grid with solar and a battery.

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.

The audits of several meat processors identified a payback of between 3.2 and 4.9 years of adding CO2 heat pumps to replace gas hot water systems. In one case a mixing valve was recommended to one system that was providing higher temperature to return a payback of 1.4 years. Additional benefits include greenhouse gas emission reductions of 283.5 t CO2-e.

The Audits of several meat processors identified the potential benefits of adding variable speed controls to evaporator fans with temperature control logic allowing the fans to operate at a lower speed with significant electricity savings. The audits have identified some quick wins to reduce costs of refrigeration systems at low cost.

The audit recommended a number of pump upgrades with energy efficient models with variable speed drives with a payback of 3 years and annual energy savings of nearly $15,000. Emission savings have been estimated to be 45.5 t CO2-e per year.