Agriculture: An often-overlooked opportunity for energy conservation
- Planergy Inc., Austin, TX (United States)
One of the most important agricultural regions in the US is the Panhandle region, the Southern region of America`s Great Plains. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in agricultural energy efficiency in the Panhandle region which covers Eastern New Mexico, Texas Panhandle, and Oklahoma Panhandle. The declining prices for agricultural products has prompted local farmers and agribusinesses to control costs so as to maintain profitability. In the Panhandle region, electricity is provided primarily by Southwestern Public Service (SPS) Company. Four different types of agricultural activities or establishments--irrigation pumping, feed lots, grain elevators, and cotton gins--account for over three-quarters of SPS`s retail sales of electricity to the agricultural sector. Although the focus of this article is to explore cost-effective energy-efficiency opportunities in the Panhandle agricultural sector, most of the measures can be applied to other agricultural regions in the US. Specific energy efficiency measures are identified and potential energy savings are quantified.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 544124
- Journal Information:
- Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment, Vol. 17, Issue 1; Other Information: PBD: Sum 1997
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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