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Using Conservation, Renewable Energy, and Efficient Mechanical Systems to Make Your Farm Truly Sustainable |
As a farmer, your energy needs are extremely specialized. It’s no secret that conventional fuels may pose challenges associated with transportation, spills, fumes, noise, and rising costs. However, by measuring and managing your energy usage, you can realize significant savings. A farm energy audit can show where your biggest energy expenditures are taking place, and can offer specialized conservation recommendations to suit your budget.
As part of the energy audit, you will receive:
- A comprehensive list of recommended energy investments with the best paybacks;
- A detailed list of low-cost opportunities for energy savings;
- Recommendations for energy improvements that could be implemented within the next two years; and
- A capital plan to implement higher cost improvements through cumulative energy cost savings.
When you couple energy efficiency measures with renewable energy production and up-to-date mechanical improvements, your farm may be able to produce an income by generating energy.
Consider the following opportunities:
Solar Power (also known as Photovoltaic or PV)
Solar energy has the ability to address many agriculture needs. Modern, well-designed, simple-to-maintain solar systems can provide the energy that is needed, where it is needed, and when it is needed. Cost-effective and reliable, PV systems are raising levels of agricultural productivity worldwide. Whether you are considering a rooftop or ground-mount system, on or off-grid, Envinity has the expertise to install a system to address your needs and suit your budget.
Solar electricity can be used to power electric fences, power electric fans for circulation, and supply energy for lighting, pumping water, and product refrigeration. Solar power can also supply electricity for household use. Solar power systems have no moving parts—they need little to no maintenance. With a grid-tied system, you can even sell back the energy you don’t use.
Solar Hot Water (also known as Solar Thermal):
Envinity also installs solar hot water systems for farms. Solar thermal systems are often the most efficient way for your agricultural operation to utilize solar energy. They are extremely simple and reliable, and can be used in just about any facility where hot water is needed, such as:
- Domestic hot water
- Wash-down of equipment and animal enclosures
- Wash-down and process heat for many dairy operations
- Space heating for homes, barns, and greenhouses
- Radiant heating beneath root beds in greenhouses for accelerated plant growth
Energy Efficient Mechanical Systems:
Envinity offers design, installation, and service for a wide range of mechanical and HVAC solutions, including:
- Geothermal heat pumps for space heating in homes, barns, and greenhouses. Farming operations typically have sufficient land area to utilize lower cost geothermal ground loop options such as horizontal or trenched loops, pond loops, or open loop systems using existing well water supplies. These options can eliminate the need for expensive drilling.
- Ductless heat pumps are a highly efficient way to provide heating and cooling for small areas such as an office in a barn. They can also provide efficient and comfortable zoned heat and cooling in any house.
- Ventilation systems utilizing ‘energy recovery’ technologies can provide clean fresh air to barns or homes while reducing the cost of heating or cooling the structure.
- Solar crop dryers utilize free solar energy to provide an inexpensive and hygienic means of drying plant material.
Biomass Energy systems:
Envinity can provide direction for the use of locally sourced biomass materials for space heating. There are many furnaces and boilers now available that can utilize many forms of biomass feed-stocks.
Dairy operations of sufficient size may find it extremely attractive to utilize a bio-digester, which will turn manure waste into valuable methane gas that can be used to heat barns or farmhouses.
Wind Turbines:
Wind energy can often provide a reliable source of power in areas where wind resources are adequate. It is critical that a potential wind energy site be properly analyzed before a wind turbine is installed. Envinity can provide the wind data collection devices essential to determining the suitability of a wind turbine for any property.
