The audit recommended optimising the VSD speed to reduce friction losses, balancing efficiency with crop requirements. This no-cost project is saving the farmer nearly $20,000 per annum with a reduction of 19% energy consumption and with carbon savings of 48.4 t CO2-e per year.
The farm near Mareeba produces sugar cane with irrigation provided predominantly by centre pivots. Water is supplied from the Tinaroo scheme channel and is pumped to a holding pond at the farm via a 6.8km pipeline with a 10m increase in elevation from the channel. A large centrifugal pump is used for the water transfer and this pump station was the subject of an energy audit to identify opportunities for energy and cost optimisation.