Sustainability. Knowing What s Watt. An Energy Audit Gives DFA Member Insight He Seeks. Story by JP Jewell Photos by Shaun Cloud

Transcription

1 Sustainability Knowing What s Watt An Energy Audit Gives DFA Member Insight He Seeks Story by JP Jewell Photos by Shaun Cloud 38 DFA LEADER SPRING 2010

2 Mideast Area member Tony Goltstein (left) walks through his operation with EnSave analyst Andrew Ruschp (pictured left on the previous page and above), who records details of electricity usage during the data collection phase of the energy audit. The audit process involves a phone interview, an in-person visit to collect data and a thorough analysis of the farm s energy usage. When it comes to knowing how many kilowatt hours of electricity his dairy uses each day, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. member Tony Goltstein doesn t need to count. I just know it s too many, the owner of Union-Go Farm says. That sentiment seems to be common among many dairy farmers few know exactly how much electricity is being used in the milking and cooling processes, but when the bill arrives, it s clear they use a lot. Usage Adds Up According to the Center for Dairy Profitability and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the average dairy farm uses between 700 and 1,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) of electricity per cow each year. When electricity costs 9 cents per kwh (the average price in the United States), a farmer may pay between 30 and 43 cents in electricity costs per hundredweight of milk. A Sustainable Partnership While a farmer can t easily change the price of electricity, he or she can use less of it to do the same amount of work. In summer 2009, DFA s Dairy Energy Services (DES) launched a partnership with EnSave a leading agricultural energy effi ciency company to offer energy audits to DFA members of all sizes and geographies. The audit process involves a phone interview, an in-person visit to collect data and a thorough analysis of the farm s energy usage. At the end of the process, the producer receives a report detailing the findings. The report includes information on processes and technologies they can implement, the cost and savings of taking these steps, as well as other resources and DFA LEADER SPRING

3 Sustainability EnSave President Steve Faust (picture at right, on left side), whose company works with DFA s Dairy Energy Services to provide energy audits, verifies energy usage data with DFA member Tony Goltstein. Below right, a plate cooler helps Goltstein s farm reduce electricity use in the cooling process by roughly $8,000 annually. programs available to help reduce energy use. Since DES s partnership with EnSave, 16 DFA members have completed audits, with another three in progress. Audits are helping farmers identify thousands of dollars in energy savings and efficiency improvements. Auditing for Efficiency At Goltstein s request, representatives from EnSave recently visited his 1,300-cow dairy in Winchester, Ind. At first glance, Goltstein s operation seems to have already covered the high-potential effi ciency opportunities, which include milk cooling, water heating, lighting, air compressors and vacuum pump motors. One energy-saving technology being used at Goltstein s farm is a variable speed drive vacuum pump, which regulates the speed of the milk pump motor. This type of pump can reduce electricity usage in the milking process by 67 percent. Another energy-saving technology employed at Goltstein s includes a plate cooler that pre-cools milk. Using a plate cooler on a dairy the size of Goltstein s can save about $8,000 in energy costs annually. Despite these leading-edge technologies, the energy audit still identified areas for improvement in energy use. The 40 DFA LEADER SPRING 2010

4 Milk transfer pumps controlled by a variable speed drive ensure a steady flow of milk through the plate cooler, optimizing cooling and saving electricity. final report will outline the cost and payback numbers for using excess heat from the air compressors to warm the milking parlor. The auditors also identified several light fixtures that used power but did not illuminate the barn, and several more lights that could switch to electronic ballasts rather than magnetic ballasts, which will save electricity and produce better lighting. Further, there may be significant savings in the operation s laundry facilities milking 1,300 cows three times a day generates a lot of laundry, and Union-Go s washers and driers are old household machines. The final report will outline the costs and payback of using efficient industrial machines. Although Goltstein won t see the final report for a few days, he feels confident the three-hour audit was worth the time. And, if the audit suggests improvements beyond his budget, Goltstein knows there are programs like the USDA s Rural Energy for America Program and an energy efficiency initiative through his local Soil and DFA LEADER SPRING

5 Sustainability Water Conservation District where he can apply for assistance with the costs. Goltstein intends to milk cows for the foreseeable future and thinks the audit will help him improve his bottom line. He notes, If I can install a few hundred dollars worth of equipment that pays back each year, that s a good deal. If you would like to learn more about how to save energy on your farm, discover incentive programs in your state, get a copy of the DES/EnSave Best Practices Guide or schedule an energy audit with DES, contact JP Jewell at or jjewell@dfamilk.com. Audits Made Affordable Because reducing energy use is a top political, economic and environmental priority in the United States, many states are offering free or discounted energy audits to farmers. Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. members Tony Goltstein and Cindy Jeffrey took advantage of an audit program run and paid for by their local Soil and Water Conservation District offices in Indiana. In addition, if the farms install new equipment or motors that garner energy savings, they can apply for a rebate up to $1,000 from the conservation district. Other states provide similar programs. Last year, for example, 13 DFA members in Texas underwent EnSave audits that were paid for by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and the State Energy Conservation Offi ce. At least 20 other states and some national programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program, offer financial support for energy audits and effi ciency improvements on farms. If your state does not offer financial support, DFA s Dairy Energy Services will arrange for an audit at a discounted rate. Call JP Jewell at or jjewell@dfamilk. com for information. Rob Tummers (photo at right, in brown jacket), the maintenance manager at Tony Goltstein s Union-Go Dairy, and DFA Field Representative Ted Seifring review energy use data during an energy audit coordinated by DFA s Dairy Energy Services. Union-Go Dairy, shown above, utilizes natural lighting and energy efficient fixtures in its milk parlor, which reduces electricity bills. 42 DFA LEADER SPRING 2010

6 Small Dairies Also Can Realize Big Savings While larger operations often have quicker paybacks on energy efficiency initiatives, smaller dairies also can benefit from improvements. Cindy Jeffrey s farm, where she milks 35 Jersey cows in Eaton, Ind., also recently underwent an energy audit coordinated by Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. s Dairy Energy Services. Jeffrey is in the process of upgrading to a new milking parlor. Thus, she says, It s the right time to start thinking about saving energy. An audit now can help her achieve maximum energy savings in the new facility. EnSave identified potential savings for Jeffrey (pictured at left) in several main areas, including milk cooling, lighting and compressor heat recovery, all of which she will consider implementing when her new facility becomes operational later this year. The audit report also will explore whether it will be cost effective for Jeffrey to install a variable speed drive motor for her milk pump. On larger operations, the reduced energy use of these motors can pay for themselves in just a few months. On a small operation such as Jeffrey s, who does not run the milk pump as often, the payback may take longer, although the benefit to the environment is high. Cindy Jeffrey of Eaton, Ind., invited DFA s Dairy Energy Services and EnSave to do an energy audit on her dairy. DFA LEADER SPRING