Over 40 people--most of them dairy farmers from southeast Minnesota--gathered at People’s Energy Cooperative in Oronoco on December 11th to learn about ways to save energy in dairy production and funding opportunities and rebates available. Learn more at http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/blog/dairy-farmers-se-mn-lunch-n-learn-about-energy-savings

1. People’s Energy Cooperative
December 11, 2014
Lunch and Learn: Energy
Efficient Dairy Production

2.  Welcome
 Introductions
 Clicker Trial Run
 Farmer Feedback on Energy
Efficient Dairy Production
Technologies
 Milk Harvesting
 Milk Cooling
 Cow Comfort
Agenda
 People’s Energy Cooperative
Rebates
 Other Funding Options
 USDA NRCS
 USDA REAP
 MDA Livestock Investment
Grant
 Looking Ahead

3.  CERTs thanks People’s
Energy Cooperative for
generously hosting the
location for today’s event
People’s Energy Cooperative

4.  State your:
 Name
 Affiliation, Company or
Organization
 Location
Introductions

5. Mission: We connect individuals and their communities
to the resources they need to identify and implement
community-based clean energy projects
CERTs:
Minnesotans Building a
Clean Energy Future

6. Regional focus: Staff
in seven regions with
diverse teams that
share common goals
How Does CERTs Work?
Learn: Blog, website,
case studies
Connect: Events, local
groups,
conference
Act: Community-
based projects,
research-based
campaigns

7. What’s a CERTified campaign?
 Provide Minnesotans with
clear, actionable ways to
implement energy efficiency
How is CERTs helping?
 Sharing information about
poultry-specific lighting
 Guiding farmers through
multiple funding options
Campaign:Gobbling Up Savings
Goal: Help upgrade
20 barns to LED

8. Right Light Guide
 Created 2011, Updated 2014
 2 page educational guide on
light bulb brightness, color, cost
 Included utility representatives
on design team
 Customized by over 90 utilities
with their own branding
 Over 80,000 copies distributed
in 2014

9.  Light on remote blinks green
when answer is logged
 Yes/No questions you can
respond once, and the last
thing you click is saved
 Multiple choice questions you
can pick as many as you like
 Answers are anonymous
Clicker Instructions

10. Trial: Who do you root for?
A. Vikings
B. Packers
Vikings
Packers
10%
90%

11. Trial: What do you like to eat?
(select all that apply)
A. Cheese
B. Turkey
C. Doritos
Cheese
Turkey
Doritos
56%
22%22%

12. Feedback on Energy Efficient
Dairy Production Technologies
Milk
Harvesting
Milk
Cooling
Cow
Comfort

13.  MN Dept. of Commerce
Conservation Applied Research
& Development Grant
 Partnered with Hastings
Creamery Field Staff to learn
about on-farm energy use
 Surveyed 57 farms (MN-side)
and energy audited 30 with
CEMs and PEs
 Now implementing upgrades
Hastings Creamery Coop Study

14. Hastings Creamery Coop Study

15. Technology Adoption

16. HPS
10
CFL
8
T-5
5
T-8
9
LED
6
Energy Efficient Lighting
Adoption
Sample Size: 38

17. Discussion Roadmap

18. Do you have VFD on your
vacuum pump?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
50%50%

19.  Able to ramp the motor speed up and down to
match the actual vacuum level needed
 Usually replace a single-phase motor
with a three-phase motor
 You can de-rate a VFD for single-phase
motor
 Approx Cost: $7,000
 Payback ranges: 6 to 26 yrs
VFD on Vacuum Pump

20. What are the barriers to having
VFD on your vacuum pump?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
D. Herd size doesn’t
justify
E. Upfront cost
F. Don’t want to
rewire
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
Herd
size
doesn’tjustifyUpfrontcost
Don’tw
antto
rew
ire
8%
4%
16%
28%
40%
4%

21. Discussion Roadmap

22. Do you have VFD on your
milk pump?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
68%
32%

23.  Able to ramp motor speed up and down
to match vacuum level
 Used in combination with a plate cooler
for additional milk cooling
 Approx Cost: $3,600
 Payback: 3.6 to 11
VFD on Milk Pump

24. What are the barriers to having
VFD on your milk pump?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
23%
15%
62%

25. Discussion Roadmap

26. Do you have a plate cooler?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
12%
88%

27. 9 Uses cold well water to pre-cool the milk
before entering refrigeration system
 Reduces heat refrig system has to remove
 Approx Cost: $3,600
 Payback: 5-6 years
Plate Cooler (Pre-Cooler)

28. What are the barriers to
having a plate cooler?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
0%
50%50%

29. Discussion Roadmap

30. Do you have a scroll
compressor?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
79%
21%

31.  Newer type of compressor. 15-20% more
efficient
 Fewer moving parts
 Digital or variable lobe reciprocating
 Approx Cost: $3,200
 Payback: 8-9 years
Scroll Compressors

32. What are the barriers to
having a scroll compressor?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
D. Slow payback Ready
to
retireLim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
Slow
payback
5%
32%
5%
58%

33. Discussion Roadmap

34. Do you have heat recovery?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
52%
48%

35.  Used to capture waste heat from
refrigerant
 Increases life of water heater
 Increases compressor efficiency
 Approx Cost: $3,100
 Payback: 9.6 years
Refrigeration Heat Recovery
for Water Heating

36. What are the barriers to having
heat recovery water heating?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
D. Parlor size Ready
to
retireLim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
Parlorsize
10%
20%
0%
70%

37. Discussion Roadmap

38. Do you have high volume
low speed (HVLS) fans?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
88%
13%

39.  BIG fans with VFD and temp
sensors
 Down draft to keep cows cool
 Approx Cost: $5,000 installed.
 Payback: Varies
High Volume Low Speed Fans

40. What are the barriers to
having a HVLS fan?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital funds
C. No time
D. Barn limitations/not
a free stall barn
E. Not right rafters
F. Prefer circulation
fans
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
Barn
lim
itations/nota
free
...
N
otrightrafters
Prefercirculation
fans
4%
22% 22%
33%
15%
4%

41. Do you have circulation fans?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
9%
91%

42.  Efficient fans with VFD and
temp sensors
 Maintenance
 Approx Cost: $3,500
 Payback: Depends!
Circulation Fans with VFDs

43. What are the barriers to having
a circulation fan with VFD?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time to
investigate
D. Would require barn
reconfiguration
E. Not an issue
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
e
to
investigate
W
ould
require
barn
reconfi...
N
otan
issue
0%
100%
0%0%0%

44. Do you have a low/no energy
waterer?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
57%
43%

45.  Better insulation prevents freezing and
avoids heating
 Must be properly installed – out of wind,
12” heat tube above frost line…
 Approx Cost: $1,300
 Payback: 2-5 yrs depending on condition
of old waterers.
Low/No-Energy Waterers

46. What are the barriers to having
low/no-energy waterers?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
D. Freezes up in winterReady
to
retireLim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
eFreezesup
in
w
inter
7%
71%
0%
21%

47. Do you have energy efficient
lighting?
A. Yes
B. No
Yes
No
18%
82%

48.  Replacement of metal halides,
incandescent or high pressure sodium
lamps for T-8s, CFLs, or LEDs
 Approx Cost: Varies $1500-$2500
 Payback: 2.2
Energy Efficient Lighting

49. What are the barriers to having
energy efficient lighting?
A. Ready to retire
B. Limited capital
funds
C. No time
D. Ladder too short
E. Never thought
about it
Ready
to
retire
Lim
ited
capitalfunds
N
o
tim
eLaddertoo
short
N
everthoughtaboutit
0%
82%
18%
0%0%

50. 1. Call your electric utility
– Find out rebates available
– Share your project plans
2. Get started!
3. Save the project’s invoice &
send to utility
Brandon Johnson
bjohnson@peoplesrec.com
507-367-7050
People’s Energy Cooperative

51. People’s Energy Cooperative Rebates
Dairy-related Upgrades Criteria Rebate Amount
Dairy Plate Cooler $500 each
Dairy Refrigeration Heat Recovery $300 each
High Volume Low Speed Fan >= 12 ft, >= 1HP, VFD motor $1 per inch
Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) $1,000 cap, >= 1HP $30 per HP
Scroll Refrigerant Compressor $1,000 cap $30 per HP
Circulation Fan See details $1 per inch
Low/No-energy Waterer <=500 watts, insulated tank $50 each
High Efficiency Water Heater
(100 gallons or greater)
As above $400/unit
Custom Rebates Based on energy savings Contact Coop

52. People’s Energy Cooperative Rebates
Custom Rebate Issued Amount
Milk Pasteurizer $344
Air Compressor $6,746
Energy Star Commercial
Washing Machine
$274
Commercial Refrigeration
Equipment
$4,035
VFD on 115 HP Motor $10,000
27.5 HP Reduction on
Grain Setup
$738
LED Light Fixtures $76
VFD on 45 HP Motor $770
Efficient Water Pump $843
Other Examples:
• Efficient Grain Dryers
• Livestock Environmental
Controls
• Ultra Efficiency Three
Phase Motors
• Beverage and Vending
Machine Controls
• Building Envelope
Improvements

53. People’s Energy Cooperative Rebates
Lighting Upgrades Criteria Rebate Amount
CFL lamp <60watt $1 per lamp
CFL lamp >=60watt $3 per lamp
LED lamp $3 per lamp
CFL or LED fixture hardwired Energy Star $5 per fixture
T5 fixture $6 per lamp
T8 fixture Retrofit only $4 per lamp
LED Linear Lamps $6 per lamp

54. USDA NRCS EQIP
USDA REAP
MDA Livestock Investment Grant
Other Funding Available
Image Credit: Tech Guru Daily

55. CAP Conservation Activity Plan
EQIP Environmental Quality Incentives Program
MDA Minnesota Department of Agriculture
NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service
RD Rural Development
REAP Rural Energy for America Program
TSP Technical Service Provider
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
Glossary

56. USDA NRCS: You’ve got options
NRCS
Audit
NRCS
Assistance
NRCS
Audit
Any or No
Assistance
NRCS
Audit
1
2
3
(NRCS Audit Required)

57.  100% of comprehensive audit
 Apply anytime
 Multiple application review
cut-off dates per year
 December 19, 2014
 Conduct audit after funding is
approved
USDA NRCS EQIP Audit
Get Started:
Visit local USDA office
http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/

58.  Cost-share audit-
recommended energy
efficiency projects
 LED upgrades approx 35%
 Apply anytime
 Multiple application review
cut-off dates per year
 December 19, 2014
 Start project after funding is
approved
USDA NRCS EQIP Project
Get Started:
1. EQIP or other qualified
audit completed
2. Visit local USDA office,
if no audit

59.  Grants 25% of project costs
 Guaranteed Loans 75% of
project costs
 Single applicant:
1 Energy Efficiency Project
1 Renewable Energy Project
 Apply anytime
 Funding cycles typically 1/yr
 Start project after application
is submitted
USDA RD REAP
Get Started:
1. Review application
& scoresheet
2. Keep eye on NOFA
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
MN-RBS-REAP.html

60.  Grant 10% of project cost
 Min investment of $4,000
 Any improvements, including
energy efficiency
 Funding cycle once per year
 Deadline: December 10, 2014
 Award by: February 1, 2015
 Start project after funding is
awarded
MDALivestockInvestmentGrant
Get Started:
Stay tuned for next cycle
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/
livestockinvestmentgrant

61. Would you be interested in any
of the following in the future?
A. Plate Cooler Bulk-Buy
B. HVLS Fan Bulk-Buy
C. Workshop on
Funding
D. Follow-up from
CERTs
E. Follow-up from
People’s
Plate
CoolerBulk-Buy
HVLS
Fan
Bulk-Buy
W
orkshop
on
Funding
Follow
-up
from
CERTs
Follow
-up
from
People’s
5%
16%
46%
19%
14%

62. Thank you to People’s Energy
Cooperative for making a
drawing possible for two $50
winners for completing the dairy
farm survey.
Please take the event survey.
Thank you for coming!
The Lucky Winners Are…

63. Ask questions and contact us!
CERTs Resources
Fritz Ebinger
febinger@mnproject.org
651-789-3330
Alexis Troschinetz
atroschi@umn.edu
612-626-0455