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Energy and Fuel Use

Aim

To ensure that farm equipment, vehicles and buildings are using energy and fuel as efficiently as possible. Using less fossil fuel means lower energy bills and fewer emissions.

Practical Measures

Monitor and record fuel use. A farm electricity and fuel audit will highlight which activities are costing you money.

Use an energy audit to develop an action plan to include measures such as:

  • More effective use of thermostats, time clocks, motion sensors and insulation
  • Equipment renewal
  • Improved journey planning to reduce transport fuel consumption
  • Vehicle checks and maintenance
  • Training for staff
  • Assess on-farm storage facilities, for example, potato stores, to ensure that insulation and natural ventilation is utilised and energy is used efficiently
  • Look closely at any energy intensive activities such as grain drying and water abstraction, use meters to monitor energy and water use
  • Remember to monitor the effectiveness of the measures implemented to reduce energy use

For example:

David Barron at Nether Aden, achieved a fuel saving of 20% on the telehandler equating to around £600 off his fuel bill over a 15 month period through using hydrogen technology, and dairy famer Ross Paton, Torr Farm saved nearly £2,000 on the farm electricity bill and £6,600 on farm diesel through simple tweaks to current practices.

Beef and Sheep farmer David Houstoun, Glenkilrie saved around £450 just from reducing the daily running time of the feed mixer.

Help and Advice

See our other webpage to find out more about Developing Renewable Energy

For comprehensive advice on woodfuel visit the Use Woodfuel website.

Advice on renewable energy is available through the FAS helpline www.fas.scot/advice-and-grants.  For advice on renewables and to see what other farmers have done, see our range of Practical Guides, Farmer Case Studies and notes from Climate Change Focus Farm meetings.