GDS Associates, Inc.ENGINEERS & CONSULTANTS

CONSERVATION MODELING AND VERIFICATION IN AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS

AGRICULTURE ENERGY AUDITS

Required for some federal, state, utility programs

Recommend EE options for the business May be based on auditor/producer/

utility/state/equipment dealer/BMP preferences

AGRICULTURE ENERGY AUDITS

Used for:o Finding energy and cost savingso Acquiring incentives/payments/grants

for improvementso Encourage equipment sales

ESTIMATING ENERGY SAVINGS

Who is doing the modeling and calculations for energy savings?o Done by independent 3rd partieso Done by equipment dealerso Done using university tools

ESTIMATING ENERGY SAVINGS

http://ruralenergy.wisc.edu/default.aspx

http://maec.msu.edu/farmenergy/calculators.html

Proprietary tools

ENERGY SAVINGS

Energy audit is complete and producer installs recommendations

How can he/she be sure they are getting what they paid for?

How can an EE program be sure they are getting the savings they are paying incentives for?

THE DISCONNECT

Disconnect between person doing energy audit, equipment dealer, and installer

Energy savings and system performance vary based upon design changes and control set points that may appear minor

PLATE COOLER ON DAIRY FARM

Green Bay, WI55⁰ well water

Charlotte, NC65⁰ well water

Duluth, MN45⁰ well water

Sacramento, CA70⁰ well water

0 40,000 80,000 120,000

Analysis of Plate CoolersBaseline - no plate cooler kWhMilk enter bulk tank within 15°F of well water temp (0.5" water line)Milk enter bulk tank within 7°F of well water temp (0.75" water line)Milk enter bulk tank within 2°F of well water temp (1.25" water line)

Annual kWh Usage

PLATE COOLER ON DAIRY FARM

Green Bay, WI55⁰ well water

Charlotte, NC65⁰ well water

Duluth, MN45⁰ well water

Sacramento, CA70⁰ well water

0 40,000 80,000 120,000

Analysis of Plate CoolersBaseline - no plate cooler kWhMilk enter bulk tank within 15°F of well water temp (0.5" water line)Milk enter bulk tank within 7°F of well water temp (0.75" water line)Milk enter bulk tank within 2°F of well water temp (1.25" water line)

Annual kWh Usage

59% savings from 15 to 2

41% savings from 15 to 2

27% savings from 15 to 2

25% savings from 15 to 2

HVLS FANS

Pocatello, ID

Green Bay, WI

Knoxville, TN

Redding, CA

0 4,000 8,000 12,000

Analysis of 3, 24-foot Circulation (HVLS) FansManual Control Automated Control Detailed and Tuned Automated Control

Annual kWh Usage

23% Savings

23% Savings

30% Savings

20% Savings

VENTILATION FANS

Pocatello, ID

Green Bay, WI

Knoxville, TN

Redding, CA

0 40,000 80,000 120,000

Analysis of 24 Tunnel Ventilation FansManual Control Basic Automated Control Detailed and Tuned Automated Control

Annual kWh Usage

14% Savings

13% Savings

16% Savings

13% Savings

LIGHTING

Must know desired lighting levels and height before getting bids

Lighting layouts can help verify new lighting will meet desired lighting

How reasonable are the layouts? No requirements for lighting, only

recommendations

LIGHTING LAYOUT

VERIFICATION

Producer should get energy savings verified by independent 3rd party

Hold back of final payment installation until verification is complete

If not getting what paid for equipment dealer/installer fix before receiving payment

CONCLUSIONS

Producer should know what he can expect from new equipment

Need to remove disconnect between energy auditor, equipment dealer, and installer

Need to verify what is installed is going to give producer what is expected

QUESTIONS?

CONTACT INFORMATION

Bethany Reinholtz, CEM, CWEP608.354.0188

bethany.reinholtz@gdsassociates.com

GDS Associates, Inc.ENGINEERS & CONSULTANTS