Energy integrated swine farm system in Nebraska: Final report

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6426503

Splinter, W E; Schulte, D D

One of the guidelines used to establish the Energy-Integrated Farm System (EIFS) was that it be representative of Midwest agriculture. Sales of irrigated crops and hogs in Nebraska generate over 50% of the state's revenue. Thus, an irrigated crop and wine farm was chosen for demonstration. The concept of this project involved the use of ''state-of-the-art'' technology in an attempt to achieve zero flow of direct and indirect petroleum input into the farming operation. Specific objectives were: utilization of energy-saving irrigation scheduling and low-pressure center-pivot and gated-pipe irrigation systems; use of 190 proof ethanol produced from sweet sorghum as a replacement for fuel in farm engines; reduced tillage and fertilizer usage for energy, soil and water conservation; development of solar energy and methane gas usage in an integrated fashion for electricity production and for hot-water and space heating in a swine-production facility; use of mini- and micro-computer technology for on-farm energy conservation and management; recovery of waste heat and carbon dioxide from alcohol fermentation and swine production for greenhouse production of vegetables; demonstration of natural air grain drying, use of windbreaks, and other energy conservation practices; and determination of the economic feasibility of energy integrated farming for swine and irrigated crop production. A new farm was constructed to achieve these objectives. This report describes the system, its components and gives an economic analysis.

• Research Organization: Nebraska Univ., Lincoln (USA); USDOE Idaho Operations Office, Idaho Falls
• DOE Contract Number: FC07-80CS40378
• OSTI ID: 6426503
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/40378-1; ON: DE87010949
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090222 -- Alcohol Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320300* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALKANES
ANIMALS
CEREALS
CROPS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
DRYING
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
FARMS
FEDERAL REGION VII
FUELS
GRASS
HYDROCARBONS
IRRIGATION
MAMMALS
MANURES
METHANE
NEBRASKA
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
PLANTS
PRODUCTION
SEEDS
SWINE
SYNTHETIC FUELS
USA
VERTEBRATES
WASTES