Increasing energy efficiency with a smart farm—An economic evaluation

Abstract

Rural farms are typically energy-intensive facilities with relatively low energy efficiency. In this sector, the introduction of renewable energies and integrated resource management technologies has been slower than in the domestic and industrial sector. The introduction of renewable energy sources was an important step in the past, but they are currently insufficient, as they do not allow for adequate energy management. The development of new solutions with integrated energy control is especially attractive for these installations as they present the least limitations in terms of space and adaptation to new technologies.This work describes a solution that was developed and implemented in a farm located in central Portugal. The results show that 83.2% reduction in energy from the grid can be achieved, with 5527 kg CO2 savings, and the return on investment (of € 32,434) is about 8 years. However, this period can be shortened if evolutionary options are taken, such as upgrading to electric driven agricultural equipment.