This case study summarises the outcomes from audits conducted on 30 Queensland Dairy farms taking part in the Energy Savers Program.
Energy Savers
Summary
The total energy consumption from the measured areas on the 30 farms was 2,147,720kWh at an annual cost of $541,937, resulting in emissions of 1,740 tonnes of CO2-e.
Opportunities: the main opportunities identified on Dairy farms include
- Pumping and Irrigation- Savings from Variable Speed Drive installation, pump replacements and maintenance, and changes to irrigation design and automation.
- Heating Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC)– Maintenance and upgrades of condenser motor, VSD, ventilation fan and heating.
- Lighting and General- Replacement and retrofitting of lights with LEDs, infrastructure upgrades to facilitate efficiency gains and general management changes.
- Solar Systems- Ranging in size from 5-100kW systems.
Table 1. Technology Recommendations and Savings in the Dairy Industry.
|
Recommendation |
Total | Energy Savings (kWh) | Cost Savings ($) | Capital Cost ($) | Average Payback (Years) |
Emission Reduction (tCO2-e) |
|
Pumping and Irrigation Upgrades |
42 | 397,599 | 319,943 | 1,537,627 | 5.1 |
322 |
| HVAC | 57 | 350,371 | 94,715 | 390,173 | 4.8 |
284 |
|
Lighting and General |
44 | 91,845 | 36,437 | 75,415 | 2.8 |
74 |
|
Solar Systems |
17 | 48,379 | 82,388 | 412,500 | 6.3 |
39 |
|
Total |
160 | 888,194 | 533,483 | 2,415,715 | 4.7 |
719 |
|
Total Recommendations |
665 | 7,459,015 | 2,817,342 | 12,784,670 | 6.85 |
6,042 |
Table 1 highlights the potential energy savings of 888,194kWh identified in the audits.
Including production benefits, a saving of $533,483 and an estimated 719 tonnes of CO2-e could be avoided per annum. At a capital cost of $2,415,714, the average payback was 4.7 years.
Additional value adding from the energy audits showed how an increase in water delivery, could increase production and profit with a reduction in energy consumed per unit of output.
Table 2. Pre and Post Audit Metrics.
| Metric | Pre-Audits | Post- Audits |
Reduction (%) |
|
Energy Consumption (kWh) |
2,147,720 | 1,259,526 |
41 |
| Energy Costs ($) | 541,937 | 8,454 |
98 |
|
Emissions (tCO2-e) |
1,740 | 1,021 |
41 |
As the installation of the recommendations is made within the industry, measurement and verification will be undertaken, and case studies will be updated to include the actual energy savings.
Energy Efficiency for your Industry and Business
An energy audit is a great way for a business to cut costs, reduce emissions and boost productivity.
The audits show that there are significant opportunities in the dairy industry to improve energy efficiency by investigating the irrigation and HVAC systems. A dairy farm in Boonah saves over $ 5,000 per year by improving the efficiency of its irrigation system at a capital cost of less than $10,000, to see more details click HERE.
To keep up to date with the changes taking place in the energy space sign up for the e-news HERE
The Energy Savers Plus Extension Program is delivered by the Queensland Farmers Federation with support and funding from the Queensland Department of Energy and Public Works.
