Rural System's

The Energy Group
Working Energy for the System

See our e-Catalog page.

See wind energy note by Stan Moore, San Geronimo, CA hawkman11@hotmail.com

See Farm energy Booklet, 2008

See Energy based Farming

See Solar Aid for solar related projects

See The Post Carbon Manifesto, 2009.

See Farming in Transition from Post-Carbon Inst.

2009 conference topics

National experts in on-farm energy savings from the Rural Electricity Resource Council and James Madison University will give producers up-to-date strategies for managing and reducing energy use on farms.

Overview of Electricity Use in Agriculture ................................................................................. Richard Hiatt Rural

Electricity Resource Council

USDA Energy Programs & Funding........................................... Laurette Tucker, Rural Business Specialist

USDA Rural Development

Wind and Solar Energy, Net Metering, & Cost Effectiveness Maria Papadakis Center for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, James Madison University

Agricultural Lighting Analysis ....................................................................................................... Richard Hiatt

• Fundamentals of light levels & measurement
• Light as a production tool for animal agriculture
• Lighting upgrades & potential savings on the farm

Fan Ventilation Efficiency ......................................................................................................... Richard Hiatt

• Understanding fan and ventilation fundamentals (dairies or greenhouses)
• Types of fans (ventilation, circulation, high vol./low speed; pit fans
• Typical kWh consumption; Spotting inefficiencies & making improvements

Concurrent Sessions

Dairy Farm Electricity Use Dick Peterson

Poultry Maria Papadakis ·

• How dairies use energy
• Major electrical end-uses & kWh consumption
• Hot water needs and energy management
• Refrigeration loads & heat reclaimers to save energy
• Livestock fountains
• Vacuum pumps & variable-speed drives
• Bulk tank refrigeration units

Major energy loads in poultry production

• Understanding your electric bill
• Lighting options and paybacks
• Fan efficiencies
• A brief word about motors
• Propane conservation
• Tips for new construction

Perhaps you will share ideas with me about some of the topic(s) above.

Home
Rural System
Glossary
Robert H. Giles, Jr.
June 28, 2005