An energy audit for on-site electricity usage recommended several opportunities to reduce consumption and costs, from which the farmer has installed variable speed controls on pumps, replaced pumps with more energy efficient drive units, as well as upgraded the lighting and hot water systems, achieving energy savings of 28% and emission reductions of 28.4 t CO2-e per year.
The nursery north of Brisbane cultivates small to medium plants, shrubs and trees for supply to the property development sector. The irrigation method varies depending on the type of plant being cultivated and its stage of growth but generally, drip irrigation is the main method.
Irrigation continues all year round for an average of 12 hours per day with the load subject to temperature and weather conditions. Water is sourced primarily via bore water pumping and from an on-site dam that captures surface water runoff. The main on-site users of electricity include the irrigation system, hot water system, lighting and air conditioning.
Prior to implementing energy-saving initiatives, the nursery was facing a move to a demand tariff due to high annual consumption. To avoid moving to the tariff, the nursery would need to reduce consumption to below 100,000kWh per year.
The nursery owner is extremely satisfied that the objectives to minimise annual energy consumption to less than 100,000kWh per year were realised. Total electricity consumption is anticipated to reduce by greater than 20,000kWh per year or approximately $4,000 per year. The customer has commenced development of further electricity consumption-reducing initiatives within their on-site packaging facilities on the basis of the benefits already realised.