Jag Singh, Energy & Resource Efficiency Consultant explains how ADAS Farm Resource Efficiency Delivered services helped H.D. & R.D. Powell broiler producers to identify cost savings and improve the environmental performance of their business.
Farm Resource Efficiency Delivered is an ADAS service for farmers, growers and processors. It delivers cost savings by increasing the efficiency in which energy, water and nutrients are used and will identify opportunities for on-farm energy generation. With rapidly increasing energy costs, all farm businesses continually need to assess energy use and identify energy saving opportunities, some will require little or no need for capital spend. ADAS conducted an energy survey for H.D. & R.D. Powell broiler producers at Weobley, Herefordshire to identify cost savings and improve the environmental performance of their business.
The farm is spread across six hundred acres with seven insulated environmentally controlled broiler chicken buildings and two potato stores. Buildings on site are between seven and 30 years old but the insulation was upgraded in the last 10 years.
A variety of tasks were undertaken in order to identify the areas where savings could be made these included:
• Comparison of energy usage against external weather conditions
• A detailed site survey involving a study of energy consuming equipment on site
• Electricity consumption profiles based on historic energy usage information
• Comparison of energy usage against standard available benchmarks
• Energy Management Assessment to measure knowledge within the organisation
• Provide training and develop skills within the organisation to achieve higher efficiency
The recommendations made included:
• The use of optimised control systems for heating and ventilation
• Conduct maintenance to improve ventilation efficiency
• Installation of energy efficient lighting
• Setup of replacement policy for fans
• Explore use of variable speed drives to reduce fan operation costs
• Explore potential of using heat exchangers to reduce heating costs
• Explore potential to replace gas and electric with renewable energy such as photo voltaic panels, heat pumps, biomass boilers and indirect heating
The potential savings identified would lead to a 21% reduction in overall energy consumption worth over £22,000 per year for the business.
Up to 50% savings in gas costs (worth) £50,000 are possible or more, if renewable energy options are explored.
Why not challenge us to do the same for you?
If you would like to know more about the FRED services please contact Jag Singh on 01902 693403 or email fred@adas.co.uk.