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Over 140 people attended the fourth annual AESA (Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture) Council Workshop last March in Leduc. The theme of “Alternative Energy in Agriculture – Keeping Our Industry Sustainable” brought a range of information to participants, from alternative energy options, saving and selling energy, to carbon credits and climate change.
“AESA is mandated to be scanning the horizon for issues that will affect sustainability,” explains John Kolk, VP AESA Council. “Alternative energy has a double benefit because some of these activities both protect the environment and add to the economic sustainability of the farming community through reducing costs and potentially adding new revenue streams.”
Workshop sessions introduced a range of alternative energy options and current information and research to the farm community. “A lot of work has been done worldwide on alternative energy, and although we hear about things like biogas, turbines or wind power, there are a lot of pieces to consider to move from a concept and good idea to actual production,” says Kolk. The workshop provided participants with a sense of the range of possibilities and some of the issues surrounding them. Workshop participants were primarily livestock and cropping producers, municipal Agriculture Service Board representatives and other industry, research and government representatives.
AESA Council Workshop: Alternative Energy in Agriculture – Keeping Our Industry SustainableAccording to Roger Bryan, AESA Extension Resources Specialist, of those participants who completed the workshop evaluation, approximately 28 percent are currently using alternative energy sources. Some examples include solar, wind, geothermal and alternative heating sources and fuel. Approximately 60 percent indicated they plan on using alternative energy sources in their operation. “Overall, participants thought the workshop was very useful,” says Bryan. “One of the highlights was the session on energy audits. Many participants left the workshop with the intention of conducting an energy audit of their operation to look at ways of saving energy.”
Kolk agreed, noting the session was very fascinating. “Speaker, Brian Mitchell suggested that the most cost effective response to trying to save energy is reduce consumption.” It’s not as sexy as putting up solar panels for example, but on average a savings of 10 to 30 percent can be realized on every operation just by reducing energy consumption. “That’s not to say we shouldn’t be considering other options, but the first and best investment dollars can usually come just from reducing consumption.”
For most participants, the workshop provided enough information and contacts to focus their research on specific energy alternatives. “The workshop wouldn’t have got someone ready to immediately put up a wind generator, for example, but it provided enough information for them to refine their research and start putting the project together,” says Kolk.
Along with protecting the environment through energy efficiency, the workshop also provided information on the potential of generating on-farm alternative revenue sources by producing energy. For example, instead of just producing beef, farmers might want to consider producing heat and power from the manure. “The workshop gave people the opportunity to learn about the various opportunities and issues surrounding alternative energy from knowledgeable people, and how to apply that information in terms of their own operations,” adds Kolk.
Planning for the next AESA Council Workshop in March 2003 is already underway.
For more information, contact: Roger Bryan
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