Beneficial Management Practices: Environmental Manual for Alberta Farmsteads - Chapter 10 Energy Efficiency

Energy costs are a significant part of a farmstead’s total operating budget. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. By improving energy use on your farmstead, you can help minimize or reduce your financial costs and environmental risks.

Before you can make energy efficiency changes on your operation, you need to know how much energy you are actually using. This can be accomplished by completing an energy audit.

On-Farm Energy Audit

The purpose of an energy audit is to determine what energy costs are associated with your home and farm, including what and where the energy is being used. The first step is to look at the cost and consumption rate of electricity, natural gas, gasoline, diesel and other energy sources, from which a base cost assessment can be developed.

The next step in the audit is finding where the energy is being used. When looking at operation costs and efficiency, it is necessary to conduct on-farm inspections of all buildings, doors, lights, windows, equipment, etc. Insulation levels, the hours lights are on, ventilation settings and age of equipment all need to be taken into consideration when conducting the walk-through. This knowledge will give you a better understanding of energy use and loss on your farm.

Some important questions to ask when looking for energy problems and possible solutions include:

• Have buildings and equipment been regularly maintained?
• Can sealing of windows and doors be improved or should they be replaced?
• Can insulation be added?
• Can operating temperature be reduced?
• Could automated controls help save energy?
• Does equipment need to run as long?
• Can more efficient equipment be installed?

Light Type	Appearance	Application	Comparison/ Efficiency	Comments
T12 fluorescent .	Tubular Most common lengths - 1 m (4 ft) and - 2 m (8 ft)	Offices, large interior lighting areas	Last up to 20 times longer than incandescent Cooler than halogen and incandescent (save on air conditioning) More energy efficient than incandescent Typically: - most 1 m (4 ft) draw 40 W – energy saver T12 draw 32 W (but put out less light) - most 2 m (8 ft) draw 60 to 75 W	70+ CRI Low maintenance costs The 12 represents the diameter of the tube - 12/8=1.5 ~ 1.5” Same socket (pins) as T8 Ballast alters the electric current flowing through the tube (activates the gas, causing it to glow)
Low pressure sodium .	Only emit light in the yellow portion of the visible spectrum	Outdoor lighting	Of high pressure and metal halide: - most energy efficient - lowest CRI	Less popular over the years because more emphasis has been put on CRI ability
High pressure sodium .	Orange or amber colour		Moderate to excellent CRI (though this depends on specific lamp design) Uses 50% less electricity than mercury vapour	22-75 CRI
T8 fluorescent .	Tubular Most common lengths - 1 m (4 ft) and - 2 m (8 ft)	Offices, large interior lighting areas	Last up to 20 times longer than incandescent Up to 30% more energy efficient than T12 Cooler than halogen and incandescent (save on air conditioning) Typically: - 1 m (4 ft) draw 32 W and produce as much light as a 40 W T12 - 2 m (8 ft draw about 59 W Better CRI compared to standard fluorescent Stays brighter over the life of the bulb; therefore, you can get by with fewer lamps	70-80+ CRI The 8 represents the diameter of the tube· 8/8=1 ~ 1” Same socket (pins) as T12 Ballast alters the electric current flowing through the tube (activates the gas, causing it to glow) Eliminates the familiar flicker and hum sound of old fluorescent lights
Metal halide .	Bluish white	Exterior lighting	A 32 W can replace an incandescent in the range of 100-150 W· over 50% savings Best used in public and commercial parking A 100 W can replace a 175 W mercury vapour (a retrofit kit or new fixture will be required)· roughly 40% savings Has best CRI	Least energy efficient of high pressure and low pressure sodium Most efficient of white light lamps 90 CRI for ceramic lights and 65-80 CRI for most types
Compact fluorescent .	Typically has a “figure eight” appearance Similar lighting to incandescent	Most incandescent applications (screw in bottom or pins for specially designed fixtures)	Produce less heat than incandescent 1/4 to 1/3 the energy requirements that an incandescent requires 15 W can replace incandescent up to 60 W, 23 W up to 90 W; for incandescent over 90 W, try 28 W compact 42 W offers a light output equivalent to an 80 W mercury vapour	Do not use with standard incandescent dimmer switch; use a compact fluorescent switch No flicker or hum associated with them May require two to three minutes to achieve full light output Does not require a cool down period after power interruption
High efficiency incandescent .			Use a 67 W high efficiency incandescent in place of a 75 W (5% less light but uses 11% less electricity)
Incandescent .	Standard light bulb	Interior lighting		Electricity heats up a wire filament – causing it to glow and give off heat >90% of the energy produced is heat – not light (acts like an electric heater) Inexpensive Good CRI Work well with dimmers
Mercury vapour .	Bluish light (good for night vision)		A 100 W metal halide (HID) can replace a 175 W mercury vapour (a retrofit kit or new fixture will be required) Roughly 40% savings	Poor efficacy and CRI Efficacy deteriorates significantly with age
Halogen .	Gives off a whiter light than incandescent	Popular as spotlights or narrow floodlights Light quite focused (when used in a light stand, light is concentrated on the ceiling)	Last 2,250 to 3,500 hours longer than incandescent Maintain light output over time without fading Creates 4 times more heat than an average incandescent 500 W reaches temperatures of 1,200°C Uses 40% less electricity for the same amount of light as a standard incandescent	Also called tungsten halogen or quartz An incandescent bulb with gases from the halogen family sealed in a glass case Excellent CRI Fire potential when incorrect voltage used Standard halogens are efficient; most people use a high wattage (wasteful) bulb

• increase aesthetics and property value
• control snow drifting by trapping snow
• decrease evaporation and improve water absorption
• increase soil moisture
• reduce wind and water erosion
• provide dust, odour and noise barriers
• store carbon
• provide wildlife habitat and biodiversity

• First Steps to Energy Management: Save Time and Money - Agdex 818-2
• Shelterbelts in Alberta
• Shelterbelt Varieties for Alberta

• AgTech Centre Innovator Series
• Energy Free Water Fountains Report 706
• Field Study of Electrically Heated and Energy Free Automated Livestock Water Fountains
• Focus On Alternative Energy series
• Focus On Alternative Fuels series

• 9700 – Fan Ventilation Principles and Rates
• 9702 – Troubleshooting Livestock and Poultry Ventilation Problems
• 9705 – Selecting Fans for Livestock Buildings
• 9710 – Fresh Air Inlets
• 9750 – Ventilation and Heating Small Livestock Rooms

• Basic Shelterbelt Establishment Guidelines for Prairie Livestock Facilities
• Energy Savings and Farmyard Shelterbelts
• Livestock-Powered Water Pumps
• Planning Farm Shelterbelts
• Planting and Care of Shelterbelts
• Shelterbelts Help Cut Heating Costs
• Solar-Powered Water Pumping Systems for Livestock Watering
• Spacing Recommendations for Farmstead Shelterbelts
• Wind-Powered Water Pumping System for Livestock Watering

• Heating your Building with Solar Energy
• Photovoltaic Systems – A Buyer’s Guide
• An Introduction to Stand Alone Wind Energy Systems
• Stand Alone Wind Energy Systems – A Buyer’s Guide

• Infosearch 2001: Energy Efficiency at Your Fingertips
• There are several other publications available to help you become more energy efficient in these topic areas:
• Appliances
• Energy Efficient Products
• Heating and Cooling
• Home Building (R2000)

• Energy Efficiency in Barns: Part 1
• Energy Efficiency in Barns: Part 2

Other Documents in the Series